Masked Desires

reely in the sky. For a brief moment, she wondered what it would feel like to be the

elow filling the silence of her small apartment. The late morning light streamed through the win

She glanced down and saw Ethan's name flashing on

onal part of her wanted to let it go to voicemail. She knew she shouldn't pick

wered. She

h that honeyed tone Ruby was so good at, the voice she had p

n his words. She imagined him in his office, leaning back in that sleek leather chair, rubbing his temples the way he

orcing her voice to remain light. She kne

ed. But hearing y

voice made her eyes sting. She closed her eyes, gripping

okay?" he a

But she couldn

ow," sh

oved-the one that felt easy and familiar. The kind that didn't need to be filled with words. She

ing. Because Ruby wasn't real. She was just a mas

t," he said, breaking the silence. His voice was

he repeated, her voi

me. Somewhere quiet.

most did. But her stomach twisted with guilt, with the kn

t," she

His breath caught, and she knew she

His voice was still soft, but she could hea

ully. She hated herself

ered promising something that sh

g to hang up. But eventually, Ethan muttered a quiet goodbye, and th

and long after the call ended. Her

her forehead and exhaled sharp

ou going

e sitting up in bed, looking disheveled and half-asleep. Ell

ven, Min. You'

feigning indiffer

Minnie never

ing okay?"

actually answer that honestly. She opened her mouth, b

turned away. "Y

s off the bed, walking over. She sat do

re ly

d Minnie. She swallowed hard, her fing

o him," she admitted softly, the words

r brows furrowed. "You mean..

tightening again. She co

ed. "You've... caugh

ke a raw nerve. She nodded weakly, feeling ashamed

es were filled with concern. She tucked her legs be

kno

er hair. "He doesn't know who you really are. You're going to get yo

ut she knew Ellie was right. He would hate her. He really did no

her. She pulled her knees closer to he

there; I feel like a person again. All these nights with random men...men who

ned. She reached over an

sor

Ellie stayed beside her, offering th

exhaled and sat up,

e asked, trying to lighten the mood. She needed to move. To

all smile. "You're really goin

ove it," Minnie

her purse. "Fine. But we

boots lined neatly against mirrored walls. The place smelled faintly of vanilla and leath

up a deep red coat and smirked m

d it. She didn't need any of this. But she played along, slipping into the fitting room an

an looking back was flawless, elegant. Ruby

She was messy and broken and afraid

declared when she emerge

e, but the weight in

ie made one last sto

weathered, the paint peeling from years of neglect. She clutched the bag of cloth

the front steps, he

large sign

roperty no longer unde

it, the words b

round the bag. She ha

t she didn't cry. She simp

e birds were still flying. Bu