Chapter 3

Three days later, at the international airport… Ruby slowly pushed her suitcase forward. On the suitcase sat a cute little boy of five or six years of age, his big eyes curiously looking around. He was observing everything so attentively but he did not notice that a limited-edition expensive car was parked near the airport entrance and the occupants were staring at him intently. Ruby was wearing a white shirt and jeans, with no makeup on her face, and her hair tied in a high ponytail. Looking at her, anyone could tell that she was a college student who had recently left school. Suddenly, the same two men she met yesterday appeared in front of her again. One said politely, "Miss Smith, this is the car Old Madam sent specially for you. Please come with us.” Ruby had clearly refused their help yesterday, but she had no idea that both of them would still be waiting for her. Ruby nodded with a smile and again politely declined, "Thank you, but I'll take a taxi. Don't worry.” The man pleaded again, "Old Madam Carter wants to see you.” Ruby knew the Carter family wanted to repay her mother's kindness, but to her, the help was unnecessary. She did not want to be a burden on the Carter family in any way, nor did she want to accept anything related to their kindness. "Please tell Madam Carter that my mother was a policeman, and it was her duty to protect people. I'm proud of it, but we never expected to get anything.” Saying this, Ruby pushed the suitcase forward and left. The two men helplessly returned to the car and informed the person sitting inside, “Big Boss, Miss Smith has refused our help again.” Michael Carter was sitting in the backseat of the car. He frowned and looked at Ruby carefully once again. Then his eyes fell on the little child sitting next to her. When Ruby bent down to give the baby water, there was a strange tenderness on her face that startled Michael a little. "Who is this kid? Is Ruby married?" he questioned himself. If she was already married, there was no need to marry her. Michael remembered that his grandmother had insisted he marry Ruby to repay Ruby's mother's kindness, but he had already found Nora. For some strange reason, seeing Ruby's baby made her feel a sort of relief. Suddenly, Michael Carter's phone rang. He picked up the phone, and heard Nora's sweet voice on the other end. "Michael, do you have some time? Let's meet?" There was a slight hint of hope in his voice. Michael replied without any particular emotion, "I have some work to attend to right now. I'll see you when I'm done.” Nora didn't give up after a moment of silence and said eagerly, "You have to come, Michael.” Michael replied with some patience, "Okay, I will come.” Nora's hopeful voice ended the call, but Michael's attention was still elsewhere. The very first day of Ruby's return, the Carter Group sent a team to acquire her company at a high price. This was a superficial effort by Michael Carter, done only to please his grandmother. He was still grappling with the question of whether or not he would actually marry Ruby Smith—it was still unclear. Ruby had no idea that the owner of the company had changed. She was sent back from the overseas headquarters, and when she started her work, she got a special office and an assistant who specialized in high-end customized design. The company offered each customer a unique, lifetime custom-made model, guaranteeing value for money along with exclusivity and prestige. On the first day, her assistant Mia Moore came to her and said, "Sister Ruby, there is an important meeting at 10 o'clock this morning. The big boss is coming. Please arrive at the conference room on time and prepare." Ruby calmly got up from her seat and headed towards the conference room. The whole hall was very large and magnificent, but she noticed some cold and unfriendly eyes coming towards her. She glanced over and saw a woman's name badge with "Chief Designer, Jasmine Parker" written on it. Ruby quickly realized that there was competition in every field. Since she came from the headquarters, it was natural for others to take away her position. In such a situation, it was normal for her to face opposition. But Ruby did not care about it—she had come here to work, not to please people. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the conference room. A tall, imposing man in a black suit walked in and sat straight on a chair placed in the middle of the room. There was no anger or panic in his eyes. His every gesture exuded dignity and power, as if he had been in a high position for years. The entire hall became absolutely silent with his presence. There was only one question in the minds of the people sitting there—when and how did the boss of the company change, and who was this new face? Vice President Ella Davis said seriously, "This is Mr. Michael Carter, the President and Chairman of Carter Group. From now on, he will oversee all company affairs. Please welcome him.” It took people three seconds to realize that their boss was now Michael Carter. Many people still couldn't understand why this happened so suddenly, but Ruby had a clear understanding of why Michael Carter bought Elegant Creations Design in such a hurry? Ruby looked at Michael Carter, who was sitting in the main seat, with a complicated feeling. His sharp, deep eyes looked as if they had the ability to pierce someone's heart with a single glance. No one sitting there had the courage to look directly at him. This was the same man who had suddenly become her new boss. Ruby thought he was probably here to repay her debt of gratitude “Now let’s begin the meeting,” Michael’s steady, yet powerful voice echoed through the conference room. As soon as he spoke, all the female employees stared at him. Michael Carter's personality had an unapproachable aura, like an invincible god, to whom attraction was natural. Rich, handsome, and influential—who doesn’t dream of marrying a man like that? But Ruby was not interested in the content of this meeting. She didn't know if it was her illusion or something else, but she constantly felt like Michael was watching her. His gaze was making her uncomfortable. And it wasn't just her imagination—many of the people sitting there had noticed it too. Some were beginning to suspect that Michael might like Ruby. This was why her co-workers were suddenly jealous of her. The feeling of being considered "special" by the big boss, and that too on the very first day, was a source of discomfort for Ruby. She realized that if she provoked the anger of others, he might face more difficulties in the future. On her very first day, she began to feel overwhelmed by the jealousy of her co-workers and the attention of Michael. After the meeting, Ruby decided to pack her things and leave straight away. After the amount of embarrassment she felt in such a small meeting, she was almost thinking about quitting her job. But… It wasn't easy to do so after signing the contract. Just as she returned to her office and tried to concentrate on work, there was a knock on the door. She looked up and saw Michael Carter standing at the door! "Why does he come everywhere I go?" Ruby's heart was filled with uneasiness and annoyance. Still, she kept her emotions in check and asked politely, "How can I help you, Mr. Carter?" Michael walked over slowly. He pulled the chair in front of her and sat down comfortably. His deep and serious voice echoed in the room, “Miss Smith, do you have some time? I need to talk to you.” Ruby had no choice but to refuse this offer. She smiled slightly and said, "If you want to talk, then it's okay. I am ready to listen. Tell me, what is it?” Michael said without beating around the bush, “When I was seven years old, I was kidnapped. Your mother risked her life to save me, and I was able to return to this world. I have always treasured their kindness in my heart. I am here today because I want to try to meet your every need in the future.” Ruby's heart suddenly stirred. So Michael was here because of her mother! He had come to repay her mother's favor. "My mother saved you because she was an excellent policeman. It was her duty to protect someone. You don't need to repay me, and to be honest, I don't need to. "Thanks though." Ruby declined gently but clearly. Michael listened to her seriously, then said calmly, "I heard you have a son. If you promise to marry me, I will join you in taking care of him and giving him everything he deserves.” Ruby's face was filled with surprise. She had never imagined that Michael would propose like this. He knew she had a son, and still he proposed to her! Only one question echoed in her mind—"Has he gone mad?” What will Ruby respond to Michael's proposal?