To the Love of My Life

“Yes, but this morning, Ms. Gregory came.”

Steve’s movement to pick up the vegetables with his chopsticks paused slightly: “Ms. Gregory?”

“Ms. Ruby Gregory.” The servant filled Steve with soup: “Ms. Gregory brought some vegetables over this morning and is now with the young lady in the painting studio upstairs.”

Steve’s brows furrowed a little, but he said nothing.

The servant set the silverware and stepped aside, “Mr. Steve, shall I go upstairs and call the young lady and Ms. Gregory down for dinner?”

Steve didn’t respond, picked up the vegetables with his chopsticks, and chewed a couple times before stopping the servant who was about to go upstairs, “Wait.”

The servant turned around, looking somewhat puzzled.

Steve put down his chopsticks, stood up: “I’ll go.”

Without waiting for the servant to react, he got up and headed directly upstairs.

The door to the painting studio was slightly ajar. As Steve approached and was about to push the door open, he heard Ruby’s voice from inside, “Wenny, whenever you need anything, feel free to come to me for help.”

Steve frowned, hesitated in pushing the door and heard Ruby hesitate before continuing, “Wenny, isn’t Steve’s birthday coming up in a few days?”

As expected… Ruby never does anything without a purpose.

Steve’s gaze became a bit colder, and just as his sister was about to say, “It’s next Wednesday, if you have time…,” he pushed the door open suddenly.

Ruby tried hard to suppress her excitement, knowing that Wenny would surely invite her to Steve’s birthday party if she were available.

However, before she could hear the second half of Wenny’s sentence, the door behind her was pushed open: “Time for dinner.”

At the sound of those three words, Ruby’s hands shook and the paintbrush almost fell out of her palm.

How could he be home? Hadn’t he left in the car?

Wenny’s second half of the sentence got stuck in her throat as she turned to look at Steve with a slightly mocking tone, “I thought I was mistaken, but it really is you who came to call me for dinner.”

Steve showed no annoyance at his sister’s teasing, but in the next moment, his gaze shifted onto Ruby, “What are you doing here?”

His voice was cold and distant, making Ruby feel distinctly unwelcome.

Ruby felt awkward and didn’t know how to respond.

Wenny gave Ruby an apologetic glance before turning to Steve and explaining, “I asked Ruby to help me touch up some of my old paintings.”

Steve’s face showed no reaction.

Ruby was keenly aware of Steve’s displeasure, she turned to Wenny and said, “Wenny, I should get going first.”

“Stay for lunch.”

Ruby shook her head, then gave Steve a slight nod as a greeting before hurrying out of the room.

As Ruby was about to leave the painting studio, Steve’s voice suddenly rang out again, “How many more paintings does she need to touch up? Gather them all up now and let her take them away, so she doesn’t keep using this excuse to come here every day, it’s annoying!”