Chapter 182: Let’s Run Away

Fast-forward to the night of the Met Gala.

The estate was buzzing with energy. Benita had spent the last two weeks practically living in her design studio, and tonight, every single stitch was finally in place.

I adjusted my cuffs and stepped out of the fitting closet into the main lounge. The custom UncuT tux was a masterpiece—a deep, obsidian silk-velvet with sharp, structured shoulders and a subtle metallic sheen under the light. Strapped to my left wrist was Mia’s bespoke timepiece, its intricate internal movement gleaming cleanly against the cuff.

The moment I walked out, the room went quiet.

May leaned back against the couch, letting out a low, appreciative whistle. “Damn, boss. You look like a million bucks. Actually, way more than that.”

Ruby, standing near the full-length mirror in her own breathtaking UncuT gown, completely froze. The dress clung to her frame with fluid perfection, the vibrant dark purple tones matching her hair and flowing into a dramatic train. Her cheeks instantly flushed a deep pink as her eyes scanned me from head to toe.

“Okay…” Ruby mumbled, biting her lower lip as she blushed, trying and failing to keep her usual smug composure. “You… you look ridiculously good, Ethan.”

Patricia, holding a tray of light drinks, stared at the two of us with wide, starry eyes. She let out a small, amazed breath, clutching her hands over her apron.

“Oh, wow,” Patricia whispered softly, a little wistfully. “You both look so incredible… If I had known high fashion could be this beautiful, I would have begged to follow you guys to New York just to watch from the sidelines.”

Benita smiled warmly, stepping up beside Patricia and giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“You don’t have to watch from the sidelines next time, Patricia,” Benita said confidently. “Give me a few weeks after tonight, and I’ll make you a custom dress that’ll put you right on the red carpet with us.”

Patricia’s cheeks turned a shy red, but a happy, excited smile broke across her face.

I checked Mia’s watch—it was time to move. I offered my arm to Ruby, who slid her hand through mine with a proud, possessive smirk.

“Alright, ladies,” I said, looking around at my circle. “Let me go show the world what UncuT and Mia’s horology look like.”

The black limousine glided smoothly through the roaring crowds lining the barricades outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Flashes were already blinding, even through the heavy tint of the windows.

I turned my head and noticed Ruby staring quietly out the glass. She wasn’t her usual loud, smug, or dramatic self; her eyes looked distant, almost lost in the endless sea of screaming fans and waving banners.

“Are you fine?” I asked gently, reaching over to place a hand on hers.

Ruby blinked, snapping out of her trance, and forced a quick smile. “Yeah… yeah, I’m fine, Ethan.”

The chauffeur opened the door, and the second my shoes hit the carpet, the red floor erupted. Hundreds of cameras went off at once like a blinding wall of thunder. Ruby stepped out beside me, her purple UncuT gown cascading down the steps, catching the light like liquid velvet.

Gasps and murmurs instantly rippled through the press line and the elite fashion crowd.

“Who designed that?!”

“Look at her wrist—is that a bespoke tourbillon?!”

“Is that UncuT? Who is he?!”

We began ascending the famous grand staircase, every camera lens trained on us. But halfway up the stairs, Ruby’s grip on my arm tightened. She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, pulling us out of the main walking lane.

I turned to her. The flashing lights were relentless, the screaming fans calling her name in a deafening chorus.

Ruby leaned in close, pretending to fix my collar, but her voice whispered trembling and low against my ear.

“I wanted this so bad, Ethan,” she murmured, a shaky exhale escaping her lips. “I fought my whole life to be a star… but sometimes, the flashes, the constant eyes, the noise… it just smothers me.” She paused, her dark eyes looking up at me, glossy and vulnerable. “If only I could just run off the grid for a while. Just go to an island and live like a normal girl… even just for a little bit.”

I looked closely at her face. The pop star persona was completely gone, leaving just a tired, overwhelmed girl being genuine with me for the first time. Her expression softened with a subtle, heavy sadness.

Without breaking eye contact, I reached out and gently placed my fingers under her chin, lifting her head so her eyes locked directly into mine. To the hundreds of paparazzi snapping frantic photos down the stairs, it looked like a breathless, romantic red-carpet moment.

“Do you want to run away from all this right now?” I asked, my voice calm, steady, and absolute.

Ruby looked at me, stunned for a fraction of a second, before a soft, genuine smile broke through her eyes. She gave a small, resolute nod.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I do.”

“Then let’s go.”

I wrapped my fingers firmly around her hand, turned my back on the Met Gala red carpet, and pulled her down the stairs with me—leaving the flashing cameras, the fashion elites, and the screaming press completely frozen in utter shock as we walked away.

I took her hand and pulled her straight down the grand steps, bypassing the security guards whose jaws were practically hanging on the carpet. The driver was waiting at the bottom. I yanked the rear door open, shoved Ruby inside, slid in after her, and slammed the door shut.

“Drive,” I commanded. “Get us out of here now.”

The limousine sped off into the New York night, leaving behind a frantic wave of paparazzi and confused organizers. Seconds later, my phone started buzzing continuously on the leather seat.

Sarah Calling.

I ignored it, letting the screen flash until it went dark.

We drove in silence for about twenty minutes until the grand skyscrapers began to fade, giving way to an isolated, dimly lit side street near the outskirts of the industrial district.

“Stop here,” I told the driver.

The heavy car pulled over to the curb. I reached over, took my own phone out of my pocket, and threw it onto the front passenger seat. Then I looked over at Ruby. She was staring at me with wide, curious eyes.

“Give me your phone,” I said softly.

She hesitated for a split second, then pulled her sleek iPhone out of her small clutch and handed it over. I tossed hers onto the seat right next to mine.

“Return the car to the estate,” I told the driver through the partition. “If anyone asks where we are, you don’t know.”

The driver nodded quietly, keeping his eyes on the road. I opened the door, stepped out onto the damp pavement, and held out my hand for Ruby. She slid out of the car, her purple UncuT gown rustling against the quiet night air. The limo pulled away, its taillights vanishing into the dark, leaving us completely alone on the empty street.

Ruby looked around at the dim streetlights, the brick walls, and the complete lack of screaming fans. She hugged her arms tightly, shivering slightly.

“Ethan… what’s happening?” she asked, her voice a mix of awe and slight panic. “Where are we?”

“We’re going on a retreat,” I said, stepping closer and looking down into her eyes. “Something raw. Something real. No bodyguards, no press, no tracking devices, and no high fashion drama. You said you wanted to live like a normal girl away from the grid—even just for a little bit. Is that still what you want?”

Ruby looked at the empty street, then back at me. A slow, brilliant smile spread across her face, her eyes shining with pure excitement.

“Yes,” she breathed out, a genuine laugh escaping her lips. “God, yes.”

“Good,” I said, catching her hand. “Because right now, nobody on earth can track us. Not Sarah, your manager or the press. For the next few days, it’s just you and me.”

Power Ranking Weekly #10

Oct 13, 08:05 – Oct 19, 06:00

Mass release 50 chapters

Power Ranking Weekly #10

Oct 13, 07:05 – Oct 19, 05:00

Mass release 50 chapters