The Billionaire’s Neglected Wife (Winning Her Back)

1. Ruby

Ruby

The black shapewear looked harmless enough. No snaps, zippers, clips, nothing to tug on my skin or dig into my flesh. I held it up to myself, glad I got the larger size so I could eat at the gala and not starve myself as I had done in the past.

I slipped one foot into the leg opening. The fabric glided up my calf, but then stopped at my knee.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered.

Wrapping my fingers around the soft material, I yanked it hard up to my thigh. I heard something rip, but I didn’t care enough to inspect.

This will be easier if I get it up both thighs at once.

I put my foot through the other leg hole, and it stopped at my knee again. Slowly, I inch it up higher, over my thighs. I felt a slight sheen of sweat developing on my skin.

No, not now. No time to sweat. Think cool thoughts. Ugh! There’s no way this is going to fit.

I kept at it, hoping I didn’t punch my fingers through the fabric as I tucked my forty-five-year-old body into shrink wrapping. Somehow I got it on. I stop to admire my smooth, shapely figure in the mirror, before pushing my chair under the vent to cool off.

After a few minutes, I apply my moisturizer and primer while saying a silent prayer to the wrinkle gods.

“Blur, blur, blur, please,” I whisper.

“Almost ready?” Oscar peeked his head into my dressing room. “The car should be here any minute now.”

With one hand carefully holding the brush for my gel eyeliner, I stopped applying my makeup and caught Oscar’s gaze in the mirror. His brown eyes met mine, and he raised one eyebrow as he waited for my answer.

Oscar Harding had always been undeniably handsome, but when he wore a suit, as he did tonight, it put him on another level.

At least that’s what I always thought. I’d never tell him that, though.

I learned a long time ago that there was no point in complimenting him.

He didn’t want to hear it, didn’t need to hear it, and couldn’t understand why anyone else would. Including his wife.

I turned back to the mirror and tried to push aside the usual insecurities that popped up whenever I had to go to one of these upscale work events. I knew at some point eyes would be on me, the owner’s wife. It was inevitable, and so was the creeping insecurity I was feeling.

Looking back at me was a middle-aged woman with wavy, honey-blonde hair parted on the side.

Sometimes when I looked at my reflection, I saw my grandmother with her deep-set brown eyes.

Other times, I saw my aunt with her high cheekbones and long face.

Tonight I only saw myself, Ruby, and wondered where the time had gone.

Seemed like I was twenty just yesterday.

Is that another grey hair?

Sighing, I tucked the grey strand in to hide with the rest of my hair and went back to doing my makeup. I reached for my favorite lipstick and smiled, seeing it perched on a red ceramic leaf Jeremy made for me at camp about ten years ago when he was eight.

My eyes drifted over to the door at the far end of my dressing room.

Sadness washed over me when I thought about how Jeremy wouldn’t be popping his head in like he always had over the years.

He was in college now, having started his first semester at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn just a couple of months ago.

I was proud that he was at my alma mater, but I still missed him.

That door from his bedroom to my dressing room was one of the best things I did when we built this house. Jeremy was barely three at the time and still getting used to sleeping on his own. Having that shortcut made it so much easier in the middle of the night.

“Ruby?” Oscar’s voice pulled me out of my memory.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m sorry. I need seven minutes,” I said, looking back at him again.

At forty-five, Oscar’s hair was still mostly black, but the short beard he kept had a sprinkling of grey in it.

Oscar was distinguished, debonair, and he knew how to play it up.

He was the kind of man whose presence made men straighten their ties, and women smile at him as he walked past. Years ago I would get jealous over the attention he attracted, but with time I realized I had nothing to worry about.

And tonight I would play my part as his wife, or accessory, as I liked to think.

Silk tie, expensive watch on his wrist, and me on his arm.

It was hard to believe this was the man I met at a dive bar twenty-three years ago.

He sighed loudly, but his grin told me he wasn’t mad or surprised.

“Seriously,” I said. “Seven minutes. I’m almost done with my makeup, and then I just need to get dressed.” I motioned to the dress hanging in front of the three-way mirror.

“It’s fine. Party won’t start without me,” he said with a grin.

I watched as he walked away, then glanced at the door to Jeremy’s room before I looked around my dressing room. Every so often I was reminded of our wealth. It wasn’t anything I grew up with, Oscar either, but he didn’t have memories of eating government cheese sandwiches like I did.

The deep chime of the doorbell rang. I jolted up from the cushioned silk chair and quickly crossed the room to the three-way mirror on the other side of the room, where my dress hung. I was running behind as usual, but Oscar was right. The party wouldn’t start without us.

Tonight was the Harding Home Jubilee, the annual corporate gala celebrating the year’s accomplishments. These events always made me nostalgic.

I slipped on the black sleeveless dress with an asymmetrical hem that hugged my curves, then tied the sandal straps around my ankles.

Standing in front of the mirrors, I turned to check on my Spanx and was happy to see it was still smoothing out the tummy bulge I could never get rid of after having Jeremy.

I smoothed my hands over my stomach and thighs, pleased with how I looked. For a moment, I wondered if my husband of over twenty years might say something. Anything. I wasn’t going to embarrass myself by asking. I had done that enough throughout the years, and it only made me feel worse.

Not that asking had ever gone well in the past…

“How do I look?” I asked.

“Huh?” Oscar said, his brow wrinkling.

“How do I look? Do I look alright?”

“You didn’t check the mirror?”

“I did, but it would be nice to hear what you think.”

“No man should ever answer that question,” he said.

“Why? What do you mean?”

“No good can ever come from it,” he said with a shrug. “You’re fishing for a compliment.”

“Maybe. But, sometimes I’d like to hear if you find me attractive.”

“You shouldn’t need to hear it, Ruby. You should just know. I’m with you, aren’t I? That should be enough to tell you.”

The memory made my eyes sting. I quickly blinked back any tears, not wanting to ruin my makeup, took a deep breath, and left to join Oscar.

* * *

Oscar and I sat in the back of the stretch limo during the hour-long trip into New York City. As I looked out the window at the passing buildings, I realized this was the first time in years that we were going to the Jubilee without Jeremy.

Even as a baby, Jeremy came with us everywhere.

When Oscar first started the company, Jeremy would join him at zoning meetings, inspections, and on building sites.

He even had a custom construction hat made for him since he was only a toddler and the adult hats didn’t fit his head.

We weren’t surprised when Jeremy said he wanted to work in the family business.

“I’m sorry I had to cancel lunch earlier,” Oscar said. He glanced over in my direction, then back to his phone.

“I’m used to it.”

“Mmm-hmm. Prime rib.”

What?

The ride was too quiet, giving me an even bigger reason to miss Jeremy, who would tell us stories about the famous buildings we were passing. The silence made the long drive feel even longer.

I pulled my gaze from the window and turned to look at Oscar. He was wearing a black pair of square-rimmed glasses tonight, and his face was lit with the soft glow of his phone. As I wondered what we could talk about, my phone buzzed with a text.

Jeremy: Did you see Fallingwater is opening soon?

Fallingwater was one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous designs, and he was my favorite architect. Visiting Fallingwater was on my bucket list, but the home was only open to the public at certain times of the year, and even then you needed to book in advance.

“Jeremy said Fallingwater is opening again soon,” I said.

“Mmm-hmm,” Oscar grunted, not looking up from his phone.

“You know I’ve always wanted to see it in person.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Oscar? Are you listening to me?”

“What? Oh, is it raining?”

Confused, I turned to the window but the weather outside was perfect.

“No?” I said, the confusion coloring my voice. “Is it supposed to?”

“Why are you asking me? You’re the one who mentioned falling water.”

I laughed. “No, Fallingwater. You know, Frank Lloyd Wright.”

He nodded, still not looking away from his phone.

“I was thinking we should go,” I said. “We could go for a long weekend. Just you and me.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Or not,” I said.

I waited a couple of minutes for Oscar to respond, but he didn’t. I really didn’t expect him to.

Shifting in my seat, I turned to look out the window again at the twinkling Manhattan skyline.

I picked up my phone.

Me: You up for a road trip with your mom over break?

Jeremy: Just the two of us? That’ll be fun.

Smiling, I set the phone down and turned to Oscar. My mind was racing with plans for the Fallingwater trip.

“Jeremy and I are going to do a road trip during break to see Fallingwater,” I said, curious how he’d react.

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Do you want to join us?”

Nothing. No answer, no reaction.

“Are you even listening?”

Silence.

“We’re going to go skydiving, and then maybe rob a bank. All in the same day,” I said, looking for any reaction, any clue that he heard me. “Oscar!”

“Mmm-hmm? What? I’m catching up on the news.”

“I’m trying to talk to you,” I said.

“Oh, sorry. Is everything okay with Jeremy?”

“Yes, he’s fine.” The limo slowed as it turned onto Wall Street.

Cipriani Wall Street glowed dramatically.

Hidden lights swept over the Corinthian columns, turning this small part of New York City into ancient Greece.

It was one of my favorite places for events in the city, so we booked it far in advance every year.

“Did you say something before?” Oscar asked.

“Fallingwater is opening soon. You know I’ve always wanted to see it.”

“That old house with the waterfall going through it? You’ve seen it. Everyone’s seen it.”

“Not in person.”

“Where is that again?”

“Outside Pittsburgh.”

“A five hour drive to see a house? We build houses. I don’t need to see any others. Especially not an old one. That sounds like a you-and-Jeremy thing.

“But what about the three of us? A little family trip. We haven’t done something like that in—”

“Come on, Ruby. You know how busy I am. I’m not going to take off just to see some old house.”

I turned away, disappointed. He was always busy when it was convenient to him. I thought about all the times I did something because I thought it would make him happy. All the concerts and things he wanted to do that I had no interest in, but went anyway.

I opened my mouth to say something more about why we should all go together. To push for him to realize how much seeing Fallingwater would mean to me. Instead, I stuffed it down.

The limo reached the front of the Cipriani and stopped at the curb.

Oscar got out from his side, and as I grabbed my purse, my door opened.

I looked up, expecting to see Oscar, but instead it was the limo driver.

Behind him, Oscar was greeting some other people.

I took the driver’s hand to help me out of the car.

“Thank you, Alan,” I said.

“My pleasure, ma’am.”

As the limo left, I stood alone as Oscar entered the building in a flurry of smiles and handshakes.

Would he look for me? Would he notice I wasn’t there?

I lost sight of him as he got further into the building.

I didn’t need the answer to my questions.

These events had been like this for years. I knew the answer was no.

I took a deep breath, tossed my shoulders back, and held my head high as I reminded myself that this would only be for a few hours.