Cryptic Passions

7-Christian

I suspected something was wrong when I didn't receive my outfit that night but I convinced myself that it was because she was busy. She ran a billion-dollar company, of course, she was busy. She could've forgotten about the outfit or maybe had just figured that I didn't need her help anymore.

My assistant picked out my outfit the next morning and I sent Ruth a selfie with a pouting face for no reason other than to remind her she'd forgotten me. It wasn't to guilt-trip her, I just wanted to know why.

She didn't text me back though, didn't even see the photo. I tried to convince myself that it was only because she was busy and there was nothing wrong with her, but something in my gut told me otherwise.

She wasn't the kind of a person to not check her phone, no matter how busy she was. She either turned it off, or let everyone know that she was busy.

But then again, what did I know about her?

I had my chauffer pull out the car and I sat in the driver's seat, strictly advised by E. Y. E to not bring anyone else to the base.

Just as I turned the engine on, my phone rang in my backpocket and I connected it to my car's speaker.

"Dante Reed," announced a female robotic voice.

"Accept," I spoke as I exited the black gates of the building.

"Hey, Christian," came Dante's voice. It was composed, dark and heavy as usual but a hint of panic was evident somewhere.

"What happened?"

"The meeting has been canceled, we had a bit of a scandal in France...a huge scandal if you ask me and I am on my way to take a flight to Paris right now for damage control,"

"Is it serious? Do you need any help?"

"Yes it's serious but I have got it covered right now. I need your help with something else. Leah called me this morning and Ruth got her period and she has painful first days and she won't take painkillers no matter what you say or do. Can you just go to her place and check in on her?"

I checked my watch. I had a meeting later but it could wait. She was a...friend and I intended to help her out just like she had helped me out when I had gotten drunk.

"I'll do it. Send me her address."

"Thanks, man. Video call me once you get there, I'll get you inside."

I called my assistant and asked him to clear my morning. I had a lunch meeting later with a potential client which I left untouched in case Ruth Diaz turned out to be Ruth Diaz and kicked me out of her place.

I had the AI enter her place from what Dante sent me to the car's GPS and it guided me to her...mansion.

Ruth Diaz owned one of the biggest mansions I had ever seen. I knew this girl was rich...but this rich? I had no idea.

But the thing was, unlike almost everything around her, the mansion was a free white in color and not black, her signature color. I had known her long enough to know that everything she owned was black in color for some reason.

At the gate, I called Dante, who asked the security to let me in and the security obeyed without doubt. Then I realized that it was probably because it was Dante's own men. I felt slight jealousy creep over at how close Dante and Ruth were. She had texted him and not me. She had told him she was in pain and not me. She was probably attracted to him and not me.

Nonetheless, I gave my car keys to her chauffeur or valet or whoever that guy was and knocked on her front door. I heard small footsteps approach the door and a high-pitched voice belonging to a young girl came from the security system.