A MAZE OF GREED

Ruth tried to memorise every face and the names of the people that Thea mentioned. Who knew when she would get another chance of their sight?!

Theodora and Augustus were moving with the rhythm. Elsie and Lester were lost in their own world. Constant smiles were present on their faces as they enjoyed each other's company. Eloise was throwing daggers at them out of jealousy. Harold was content that he managed to turn some eyes in his direction when people noticed him dancing with the older daughter of Agustus O'Dell.

Among this crowd, only one person was not enjoying his time. That person was Edwin O'Dell. He was a very outgoing man when he decided to be one, but tonight his mind was not in place. He didn't want to be there with everyone. That was the reason he called the maid to meet him in the backside corridor. He thought that having some fun would take his mind off things, but he was wrong.

O'Dell family was aware of Edwin's adventures, but they turned a blind eye thinking, he was young blood. They thought that he would come around and realise his responsibilities after some time. They never confronted him about his doings as long as it didn't bring shame to his family's name.

A couple of women approached him, hoping that he would ask them for a dance after he excused himself from raging Eloise. But he ignored them and took another glass of drink. He needed some space for himself. Hence, he walked towards the large window in the corner of the hall.

Ruth and Thea's eyes widened in worry as that was the same window where they were hiding. Thea signalled Ruth to get out of there before Edwin's eyes fell on them, but a guard came to stand not far from them with a lit cigarette in his mouth. Now both women were trapped. They couldn't run from there, or the guard would catch them so, they remained hidden in their place.

Edwin looked outside the dark sky while sipping on his drink. Ruth and Thea stood at both side of the window while resting their backs on the wall. Ruth's heart was beating faster in her chest. She shouldn't have come with Thea. She should have at least leave the place a long time ago, but she got caught up in the moment.

A breeze blew that made Ruth's toffee brown hairs blow along with the wind. She shut her eyes for a moment as she felt Edwin's presence near to where she stood. Thea warned Ruth with her eyes to stay still. Ruth obeyed her friend's warning as she held her breath. She hoped that Edwin would leave in some time, but he stood there longer than expected.

Ruth wondered why he didn't join everyone on the dance floor. She saw how he declined the offers for dance by the women. What was going on in his mind, she thought.

As if destiny decided to test her, something happened that made her heart leapt out of her chest in fright. Suddenly, Thea sneezed loudly, which made both of the women's eyes bulged out in horror.

Thea covered her mouth with an apologetic look in her eyes. Edwin scrunched his brows when the sound fell on his ears. He looked around but found no one.

The guard who was enjoying his cigarette threw it on the ground and crushed the lit part of it with his shoes. He scanned the area from where the sound came. At first, he thought it was some guest, but when he saw his young master in the window, asking who was there with hand gestures, he knew his doubt was wrong.

"Who is there?" The guard called in a hard voice.

Thea shuddered in fear while she looked at Ruth, who was as scared as her friend. In the meanwhile, Edwin got suspicious and went outside the hall in the direction of the window. The women were so scared, that they didn't notice his disappearance.

"Have you find anyone?" Edwin asked the guard after he reached outside.

The guard bowed his head in respect, then shook it. "No, milord. I think it must be a cat or something." The guard rushed to Edwin as he didn't want his master to found out that he was not doing his duty with alert.

Ruth thought that it was the best chance to run from there as if Edwin decided to search further, then there was no way for their escape. She mouthed at her friend, who was about to faint.

"Run."

Ruth didn't expect Thea to be dumb enough that she ran as soon as Ruth told her but with a cry. Ruth couldn't get a chance to facepalm herself for Thea's stupidity as Edwin and the guard charged in their direction.

Ruth picked up her dress with both hands and followed Thea. The guard followed his master as they saw two women running to the backside of the manor.

"Wait! Who are you?" Edwin shouted as he chased the women.

He could see that they were not guests from their attire that was visible in the moonlight. Were they thieves? Edwin thought.

The noises caught the attention of other guards, and some of them were ready to come for aid to Edwin. But the guard who was running behind him stopped them as he thought it was a golden opportunity to prove his bravery in front of his master and get a good price in return. He didn't want to share this opportunity with anyone.

Edwin's eyes were too focused on the women running ahead of him to notice anything else.

"Right!" Thea yelled while turning to her right.

Ruth followed her command as she tried her best to keep pace with her. She heard the thumping sound of Edwin's heavy footsteps behind her. He was a fast runner and a trained warrior. It was only a matter of time that he would catch her.

She barely missed the row of small plants in the dark. She could see the stone wall in front of her. The guard huffed as he came short of breath because of all running. When Edwin concluded that the women were going to cross the wall, he increased his speed. He didn't know how they were going to cross a seven feet high wall, but he didn't want to take any chance.

Thea managed to reach the wall and turned around to look at Ruth. "Faster, Ruth. They are behind you! Run!" She screamed and crouched down to pass through the gap in the wall.

Ruth was barely a few feet away from the wall when her body staggered back. Her eyes widened in fright as a loud gasp left her lips. Edwin managed to get hold of her hand and pulled her behind.

"I asked who the hell are you?" His voice thundered that made Ruth cringe in nervousness.

Thea waited patiently while looking through the gap in the wall. Her mouth hung open when she saw Edwin grabbing her friend. Ruth was facing in front so, Edwin had not seen her face yet.

"Don't stop, Ruth. Run, run!" Thea yelled again while moving her hands.

Before Edwin turn her around and get a chance to see her face, Ruth pulled her hand up and jabbed his nose.

Edwin wailed in pain as he felt his nose go numb with pain. Instinctively he freed Ruth to cover his nose with both hands. He bent over a little as his eyes watered because of pain.

"You!" He hissed in anger as he leapt again for Ruth. But she managed to run before he could catch her again.

Her head turned around in shock when Edwin's hand tore her dress in an attempt to grab her. It also surprised Edwin as he had not intended for this to happen. He looked up from the brown piece of cloth in his hand to see gorgeous hazel eyes staring at him with utter shock.

He stood rooted to his spot as his mind went blank. Ruth managed to get out of the property and ran with Thea without looking back.

The guard came panting, but Edwin didn't notice him as his eyes were still trained at the gap in the wall, through which Ruth escaped.

He slowly looked at the brown fabric in his hand, and the image of those alluring hazel eyes flashed in his mind. He clutched the fabric tightly in his hand, and the word left his lips in a whisper.

"Ruth!"