LOCATION: Outside of Ruby’s Studio Apartment. DATE: 12.03.2022 RUBY’S ACCOUNT: @forall-x
Elijah should have known better that going home that night. He was smart, even if he played dumb most of the time, but even he made mistakes; too fucking many of them, according to his father. But he so often brushed them off, he wasn’t sure when he was right or wrong these days. However, it had been the wrong decision to go home that night and, in hindsight, he’d been correct. But when he stumbled through the front door of his own apartment, there she sat with eyes of her own fire.
His mother, Mrs. Kim, held a different rage than his father. And he was terrified of her. She held the keys to the kingdom differently. One look, and he was sure she could put him down. And the thing was? It was always when he disappointed her that caused him the most pain.
Yes, he could feel pain. He just was great at delegating (Which was pretty much all he ever did when he was at work.) His father had always said to ‘‘work smart, not hard.’’ And with those words, he’d taken them and ran with it. Maybe a little too far, and he was sure his father now regretted giving his son that advice, but he couldn’t complain. He was literally doing what he’d been told to do, right?
But there she sat with thin lines and eyes alight with her own kind of rage.
‘‘You are drunk again, and I do not want to hear excuses, Elijah.’‘ She practically spat, standing from the kitchen table she’d brought for him only months apart. ‘‘After everything me and your father do for you---’‘ She tutted under her breath. ‘‘You can’t seem to follow one simple rule!’‘ She exclaimed in horror. Elijah was already protesting when she raised her hand in the air.
He fell to silence.
‘‘Tomorrow you will see the girl and return that car.’‘
His brows furrowed. How did she know about this already? Hadn’t it happened...he looked down at his watch. One hour ago? And his family already knew. Which meant his father knew, and instantly that sinking feeling in his chest set in. Oh boy, tomorrow he’d be in all kinds of shit. Which meant more work, and less time for himself. That was how they liked to punish him. Keep him busy and within sight.
It was smothering.
And just like that, she gathered her things and left, muttering in Korean under her breath as she passed by him. There were no other words required. He knew he’d once again fucked up, and undoubtedly be headlining the newspapers in the morrow. Why didn’t they just let his younger brother take over? Why did it have to be him just because he was older? It felt like an absurdity.
They always went on about how Mikael was good, not an evil bone in his body. Like they were so proud of him. But they’d made Elijah this way? Why couldn’t they make Mikael? Why had he taken the burden of the family's darkness? It enraged him differently from the tunnel. When the door finally closed, he unleashed hell upon his apartment.
It’d need to be redecorated, which he’d leave to his assistant to sort when the sun rose. But as he finally made it to the couch, he slummed heavily down and sleep eventually took over him.
*** NEXT DAY ***
When the sun rose, he groaned loudly and with dissatisfaction. His head was pounding, as he realised he was still dressed in the same attire from the previous evening; his mouth was dry and eyes were heavy. He remembered everything clearly, however. Every step of the way, his darkness coming out, his hands raising against the woman in te tunnel, known as Ruby and his mind instantly stayed on the girl. Today he’d seek her out, as told by his mother.
She wouldn’t want to see him, but hell, he didn’t have a choice.
If Mrs. Kim wanted something done, it got done.
So with no further ado, he rose from his spot and began his usual routine. It started with a half an hour run on the treadmill that was strategically placed overlooking the city's skyline. Before he ate, showered, shit and shaved. It took around two hours before he was feeling normal again, and that was a far stretch.
But as he braced himself on the counter of the kitchen, he brooded for a moment. Her lips came to mind, so pretty, before they were bleeding. But even then, if she’d asked, he’d have licked it clean for her. He groaned, shoving her from his mind with force. He didn’t want to go back there, not yet anyway. That kind of darkness was reserved for certain times. Elijah needed to get through his normal day without losing it.
He needed to remain calm.
So he took off, taking to the New York City streets. Finding her hadn’t been difficult. A quick call to the office, a few sweet words to his father’s secretary and, just like that, he was combing the street in his decoy car. Pulling up outside, he furrowed his brows.
Well, this was a shit hole.
As he slid from the seat, slamming the door behind him with little regard for the car, he positioned himself against it, crossing his feet at his ankles. All he had to now was wait.