Chapter 175: Ruby Is Home.

Before Patricia could even plate the food, the mansion’s massive front doors slammed open with a heavy thud.

"ETHAN!"

Ruby’s voice echoed through the high ceilings like a siren.

She stormed into the grand foyer like a force of nature, wearing a sleek leather jacket, dark designer shades, and her newly dyed vibrant purple hair swinging around her shoulders.

Right behind her was a team of four burly bodyguards, struggling under the weight of at least thirty glossy luxury shopping bags from every high-end boutique in the city.

The moment her eyes locked onto me standing in my robe by the kitchen counter, she didn’t even slow down. The sharp clack-clack-clack of her high heels hit the marble floor at a full sprint.

"Whoa—Ruby, wait—"

She threw her arms around my neck, the sheer momentum nearly knocking me back against the island. Before I could say a word, she was smothering my face in frantic, rapid-fire kisses—cheek, forehead, jaw, nose, cheek again—leaving bright red lipstick marks all over my skin.

May leaned back against the counter, folding her arms with a loud, amused snort. "Damn. Is it a tornado or a pop star?"

Ruby finally pulled back just an inch, her hands still firmly resting on my chest, breathing heavily as her dark eyes locked onto mine with an intense, almost obsessive fire. Her shades were pushed up onto her hair, revealing her wide, ecstatic pupils.

I chuckled, running a hand over the freshly dyed violet strands near her cheek. "Looks like someone went through a transformation. The purple hair actually looks crazy good on you."

"I missed you so much I was losing my mind!" Ruby practically whined, totally ignoring the compliment while pressing her cheek against my chest again, hugging me like a vice grip. "You were in Paris for days, Ethan! Do you have any idea how hard it was to watch you on TV taking down that Oliver guy while I was stuck in the studio?! I called you five times this morning!"

"I saw," I grinned, trying to gently untangle her arms. "I was reading about UncuT on the balcony."

"I don’t care about UncuT right now, I care about you!" she declared dramatically, looking up at me with pouted lips. She reached up, using her thumb to try and smudge out one of her own lipstick marks on my cheek, though she didn’t look sorry at all. "You’re never leaving the country without me again. Never. I’m putting it in my tour contract."

Over by the stove, Patricia quietly lowered her spatula, her cheeks reddening at the wild, unfiltered display of affection, while May just shook her head, a teasing, competitive smirk playing on her lips.

"Hey, pop star," May called out, tossing her sweat towel onto a barstool. "Take it easy on him. He just woke up, and he hasn’t even had Patricia’s breakfast yet."

Ruby finally turned her head, noticing May and Patricia for the first time, though she didn’t let go of my arm for a single second. She gripped my robe sleeve even tighter, wrapping both hands around my bicep like a prized possession.

"Oh, hi girls," Ruby said, tossing her purple hair over her shoulder with a competitive, possessive little smirk. "Hope you didn’t miss him too much while I was gone, because he’s all mine for the rest of the day."

Ruby didn’t waste a second taking full advantage of the situation. Before I could even pull up a chair, she straddled my lap right at the kitchen island, her custom purple hair cascading over my shoulder. She picked up a fork from the fresh plate Patricia had just set down, cutting a delicate piece of poached egg and holding it up to my lips.

"Open up," she murmured, her dark eyes locking onto mine as she fed me.

As I chewed, she casually rested one hand against the back of my neck, putting on a sweet, innocent face that didn’t fool anyone in the room.

"So..." Ruby began, her voice dropping into a light, sing-song tone that dripped with subtle, indirect questioning. "Tell me about this new girl. Benita. The fashion world is going crazy over her. She’s pretty... is she staying in Paris, or is she going to be hanging around the estate too? Are you guys... close?"

I swallowed, leaning back against the high stool with a calm, unbothered smirk. "Nope. Benita isn’t like that. It’s strictly professional, and her mind is 100% on her designs."

Her answer relieved her, but her subtle probing gave me an instant idea.

"Actually, that reminds me," I said, looking right into Ruby’s eyes. "I need you to wear a custom UncuT gown for the upcoming Met Gala."

Ruby blinked, her lips pouting slightly as she smoothed down her jacket. "Oh, babe, my head stylist already spent months locking in a custom piece with an Italian heritage house! They’ve got the whole concept prepped and—"

I didn’t let her finish.

I cut her off, reaching down to slide my hand onto her bare knee, tracing a slow, deliberate finger straight up the side of her thigh.

"I wasn’t asking, Ruby," I whispered, my voice deep, smooth, and absolute.

The moment my finger moved up her leg, the fiery pop star completely melted. The sharp, demanding diva facade vanished in a heartbeat, replaced by a deep, breathless flush that painted her cheeks crimson.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes wide, glassy, and utterly starstruck as she stared at me like a love-stricken maiden who had just lost all capacity to negotiate.

Her confidence completely folded. She nodded rapidly, her voice reduced to a tiny, obedient squeak. "O-Okay... UncuT it is. Whatever you want."

I smiled softly, tapping her cheek before pulling my hand back. "Good girl."

From across the island, May let out a loud, hysterical snort, leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, laughing out loud at the instant submission.

"Look at the global pop icon," May teased mercilessly, shaking her head with a wicked grin. "One touch on the leg and she forgets her entire management team exists! You’re helpless, Ruby."

Ruby immediately buried her burning face into my shoulder, groaning in embarrassment while keeping her arms locked tightly around my chest.

Over by the stove, Patricia quietly wiped down the edge of the marble island.

Her shy, gentle eyes flicked over to Ruby wrapped around my lap, a subtle flicker of quiet jealousy mixing with her usual soft demeanor.

She set down a warm cup of freshly brewed coffee beside my plate, her fingers lingering near mine for a brief second before she pulled back with a timid, blushing smile.