Forbidden Passion

In Building Three, Ruby, wearing an apron, brought the last pot of soup to the dining table. She looked up at Donovan, who was sitting on the sofa using his computer.

Donovan's side profile was handsome and elegant, but he exuded a cold aura that warned others to stay away, making her feel uneasy.

"Mr. Ziegler, dinner is ready."

Donovan's long fingers flew over the keyboard. Hearing her voice, he frowned and said coldly, "Can't you see I'm working?"

Ruby immediately fell silent, standing stiffly at the entrance of the dining room. Donovan stared at the computer screen for a long time without moving. Finally, he impatiently closed the laptop and walked towards the dining room.

Seeing him approach with an intimidating presence, Ruby took a step back in fear, bumping her lower back against the sideboard, which hurt a lot.

Donovan paused, said nothing, and walked past Ruby to pull out a chair and sit down.

"What are you standing there for? Come serve me," Donovan said coldly, looking at Ruby from his seat.

Ruby clenched her fists, knowing Donovan wanted to humiliate her. She still walked over, picked up a fork, and brought a piece of meat to his mouth.

After waiting for a while without Donovan opening his mouth, she looked up and met his furious eyes.

Donovan slapped her hand away, sending the fork and meat flying. He glared at her with a dark expression, "What are you doing, treating me like a three-year-old?"

Ruby took a step back, "You told me to serve you."

Donovan's face turned extremely grim, "I told you to serve me, not feed me. Ruby, are you doing this on purpose?"

"I'm not," Ruby mumbled.

Donovan looked at her aggrieved expression and got even angrier, "Who are you putting on this act for, Ruby? How have I wronged you, huh?"

Ruby bit her lower lip, "You haven't wronged me; it's me who wronged you."

Donovan stood up abruptly, watching the tears roll down her cheeks. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up, "Why are you crying?"

Ruby quickly wiped the tears from her face and said, "I'm not crying; it's just that some dust got in my eyes. I'll go get you a fork."

She broke free from Donovan's grip and quickly walked into the kitchen.

Standing by the sink, Ruby's tears kept falling. She thought to herself that Donovan had only scolded her a couple of times, so why was she feeling so wronged?

If it weren't for Ruby's scheming back then, Donovan wouldn't have encountered danger in Starfall City. After returning to the country, he wouldn't have lost control of his emotions upon learning the truth and fallen into the sea.

Donovan had barely survived and naturally hated Ruby.

And Ruby, getting what she deserved, had no right to feel wronged.

Ruby took a deep breath, afraid that Donovan would get angry if she kept him waiting. She quickly turned around and went out, but the dining room was empty; Donovan had already left.

Ruby clenched the fork in her hand. She still made Donovan annoyed. Tonight's meal was her best effort in three years, but she had messed it up.

Ruby looked towards the living room; it was empty. Donovan must have gone upstairs. Ruby walked out of the dining room and into the living room. She looked at the stairs leading to the second floor, Trevor's warning echoing in her mind.

Donovan had forbidden her from going to the second floor.

She didn't dare go up, so she sat down on the steps beside the staircase. She sat there

for hours, eventually falling asleep leaning against the handrail.

Donovan finished his video conference and felt a bit hungry. Remembering the food from earlier, he got up and walked out.

At the staircase, he saw Ruby dozing off on the steps.

Donovan paused, watching Ruby's head nodding. In his mind, he couldn't believe how careless she was.

She had just had a fever yesterday, and today she was sitting on the floor. Didn't Ruby have any sense of taking care of herself?

Just as Donovan was about to go downstairs, the clock in the living room chimed. Ruby woke up with a start and looked at him in a panic.

Their eyes met, and Donovan coldly curled his lips as he descended the stairs, "Why are you still here?"

Ruby nervously stepped aside, "I, I wanted to wait for you to come down and eat before I left, but I fell asleep while waiting."

Donovan glanced at her and said indifferently, "I'm hungry. Go heat up the food."

"Okay," Ruby replied happily, turning and running into the dining room, her figure quickly disappearing behind the kitchen door.

Donovan watched her cheerful back, the corners of his mouth slightly lifting. Then he remembered something, and his face immediately darkened.

Ruby brought out the reheated food. This time, Donovan didn't make things difficult for her. He quietly ate, but after a few bites, he heard a few rumbling sounds.

Donovan looked up at Ruby, who was pressing her stomach with an embarrassed expression. The more she pressed, the louder the sound, and her face turned red with shame.

"I, I'm not hungry, really," Ruby said, stepping back a few steps as if distancing herself from Donovan would make him not hear her stomach growling.

Donovan pursed his lips, looked at her coldly for a moment, and said, "There's too much food; I can't finish it alone. Go get some utensils and eat with me."

"I'm really not hungry," Ruby said again.

Donovan frowned, "Do you want me to drag you over here?"

"No, no," Ruby shook her head. She didn't dare defy Donovan, quickly turning to the

kitchen to get utensils and hesitantly sitting across from him.

Donovan continued eating without paying her any more attention.noveldrama

They finished the meal in silence. Donovan put down his utensils, pushed back his chair, and got up to leave. Behind him, Ruby's voice came, "Thank you."

His heart raced, but he didn't look back, "No need to thank me. I'm just afraid you'll starve to death, and I won't have anyone to take revenge on."

Ruby stared blankly at Donovan's broad back until he went upstairs and disappeared from sight. She then looked away.

Ruby told herself that it was okay. As long as she atoned for her past mistakes little by little, one day, she would repay Donovan for everything she owed him.

After finishing her meal and cleaning the kitchen, Ruby turned off the lights and left the villa.

When she returned to Phoebe's house, it was almost 1 a.m. The living room was lit by two dim yellow wall lamps, and someone was sitting on the sofa. Hearing the door open, the person sat up.

Probably very sleepy, the person rubbed their eyes and looked over at her.

It was Phoebe.

She walked in wearing slippers and stopped by the sofa, "Why haven't you gone

upstairs to sleep? Don't you have work tomorrow?"

"I was waiting for you to come back," Phoebe yawned, "Why are you back so late?"