A MAZE OF GREED

Edwin was constantly on an edge. He had not foreseen Darius's hastily action of killing his men. How had Ambrose agreed with that?

As far as Edwin knew Ambrose, he was more of a person who liked to stick with a plan. He would never do anything in haste, unlike his son.

Rees asked Edwin to allow him to look into this matter personally, but Edwin declined it as soon as he mentioned it. He could not allow Rees to engage himself in this matter when his wedding was in less than two weeks.

Lester had assured to look into this matter and speak with his father if he could help in any way. Augustus would soon know that the two members of his pack were dead, and then more questions would be raised.

The facade of irresponsible brat that Edwin was pulling for years was on the verge of breaking loose, and he thought it was not the right time.

He was pacing around in the balcony of his office, lost in his own world of thoughts. He turned swiftly but halted in his track when a familiar face came into his view.

Those hazel eyes widened in surprise as Ruth was not expecting him to turn so fast. If Edwin had not stopped, she surely would have crashed into him.

"Miss Moore?" He brought her back to her senses.

What was she doing here?

Clearing her throat, Ruth said, "Lady Elsie has asked you to sign these papers and has send fruits for you."

Her tone showed how disinterested she was in that conversation and wished to be anywhere but with him.

And it hurt!

Edwin only nodded and walked towards a chair in his office. Ruth put down the tray in which a small basket was with various fruits placed nicely, a knife, a plate and a piece of paper.

She bent down and passed the paper for him to sign. Edwin realised that his seal was in a drawer of his table, that was on the other side of the room.

"Bring me my seal." He ordered as his cerulean blue eyes roamed on the words written in the black ink on the white paper.

Ruth did not know where it was or how it looked. She neared the table nonetheless and looked around, but nothing looked like what she was told to fetch.

"Erm... where is it? I can not find it."

"It is in the second drawer to the left." Came Edwin's voice from behind.

Ruth found the mentioned drawer and opened it. There were many things in it, and now she was more confused than before. She found four seals but had no idea which one Edwin needed.

She rummaged through them, contemplating asking him again about the required seal. Her hands froze, and she stopped breathing altogether when she felt warmth around her, the familiar tingles danced on her skin.

She turned her head to meet Edwin's handsome face. His eyes met hers, and she learned to breathe again.

"I need this one." He said and took one of the seals from the drawer.

Straightening up, Ruth stepped away from him to keep a safe distance between them... for her sanity.

Was not she lately keeping getting too close to this blue-eyed monster than she should? Hmm! She needed to avoid that, she scolded herself mentally.

Walking back to his previous place, Edwin sat on the chair, and after dipping his seal in the ink, he imprinted it on the paper.

"Now you can officially use the servants quarters." He said, handing her the paperback.

"Why Lady Elsie sent me to you? Is not it Lord Augustus's authority to sign this paper?" Ruth asked.

She could have asked Elsie, but for some reason, she felt right to ask Edwin. And, till now he had never avoided her questions and had always answered them- whether they were spoken or silent.

"These papers mentions that, responsibility of the servants should be taken by the one of the family members who recommend them. So when a servant fails to discharge their duty efficiently the person who recommended them has a right to dismiss them from the service or punish them for their mistakes." Edwin explained.

Ruth nodded slowly in understanding. She wanted to ask why he recommended her name to Lady Elsie. Even though Rees was his trusted man, and he might have asked Edwin for Ruth's recommendation, Ruth was sure there might be other candidates for the position of the head maid. Then why recommend only her name?

But the recent encounters with this man, made her more nervous around him and, feel something peculiar that she did not know what to call that feeling.

She silently turned to leave but paused when she noticed the untouched fruits. Edwin's mind was somewhere else. He was staring out of the balcony distractedly.

Ruth's mind told her to walk away, but her heart was in dilemma. Elsie had said that Edwin had skipped lunch and was also not present for the breakfast in the morning. Ruth had heard Elsie complaining about her cousin's irregular eating habits.

Looking at his gigantic form, Ruth highly doubted that this man went without food for even days.

But why she was thinking so much about it? It was not her concern, right? Elsie asked to give him the fruits and that Ruth had done. Now it was his call if he wanted to eat them or keep them untouched.

"Is there anything more you need, Miss Moore?" His voice came distracted yet firm.

Ruth wondered how he knew that she was still around when clearly he was looking out of the balcony.

After two more seconds, her heart had already won the battle with her mind, and her feet took her back to where he sat.

"These fruits are for you. Eat." She said.

He did not turn to her. "I am not hungry."

Something was definitely bothering him.

"You have not eaten anything in a whole day. Lady Elsie wants you to eat some of it at least." Ruth persisted.

"Then tell her that I. Am. Not. Hungry!"

She was taken aback by his sudden hard tone. She saw his jaw ticking in irritation. Instead of getting angry, her heart told her otherwise.

She sat down on the floor near him, not too close yet close enough to study his face for any change of expressions. He did not object, neither did he look her way.

Ruth picked up an apple from the tray and a knife and started cutting it into pieces. Edwin could not help but look her way through the corner of his eyes.

Why was she doing this?

Ruth put the pieces on a plate and offered them to him. He was about to deny it again, but she beat him to it.

"Yes, I get that you are not hungry but please have some for Lady Elsie. It will make her happy."

Edwin searched her eyes, and all he got was genuineness. Her small gesture tugged at his heart.

"I... I have not washed my hands." He said almost embarrassingly.

Ruth fought back a smile that threatened to appear, looking at the blue-eyed monster who looked adorable as he stuttered.

But wait! Since when did Edwin O'Dell begin stuttering?

"Erm... well..." She did not know what to say.

"I will be back after washing my hands." He said.

However, Ruth saw through his excuse. What if he was avoiding eating? No. She could not let him leave.

"No need." She said hurriedly. "I mean... erm... I... I can..."

As she could not string the words in a thread, she decided to show him by her actions. Avoiding his gaze, she lifted her hand that had a piece of an apple, towards his mouth.

"Please..." She whispered.

Edwin did not move for some seconds, and she thought she offended him. When she thought of withdrawing her hand, she felt him taking a bite of an apple.

Their eyes met, and the time seemed paused, the earth stopped rotating, and the whole world stilled. The only movement that happened was of their hearts which were beating on the same upbeat rhythm.

Ruth's heart did summersaults in her chest as Edwin's gaze turned intense. He slowly wrapped his large fingers around her wrist and moved her hand so that now the remaining piece of apple was near her mouth.

Ruth wanted to break their eye contact, but there was something magnetic in his gaze that always attracted hers.

"Eat." He said.

Ruth was hesitant. How could she eat the same piece that he had eaten? That was too... intimate for her.

"If you do not want then take everything away." He said.

Was he blackmailing her?

"But-"

"That is an order, Miss Moore." Came his authoritative voice.

Ruth was confused. Who was this man? One minute he was no less than a stranger, and the other minute he blackmailed her and then ordered her.

She furrowed her brows but then ate the remaining apple. The way her lips took in that fruit in her mouth took Edwin's breath away. Not only his insides but his other body part also moved to watch that.

His wolf roared in approval. He was happy to have his mate near him. And, She eating the same food that he had made him joyous.

Freeing her hand from his, Ruth then began feeding him. He did not blackmail or deny this time and finished the whole apple quietly. The only thing that bothered her was his unwavering gaze on her that made her skin turn a light shade of pink.

She could not take it anymore and decided to distract her mind by striking a conversation.

"There is something bothering you." She pointed.

He replied after a moment. "Being an arrogant, spoiled rich brat is not an easy task."

His tone was not of mockery, it was just plain.

"Then you should discuss the matter with someone. Talking with your loved ones always helps." She said.

"And what if you do not have any?"

Ruth looked up at him in confusion. "Why are you saying that? You have Lady Elsie, Lord Wright and... your family?"

The last part came out of her mouth doubtfully. Edwin smiled. His mate was observing him more attentively than he thought that she knew his relationship with his family.

Ruth finished him feeding all the fruits, now only a banana remained. She was about to pick it, but Edwin stopped her.

"I do not want to eat banana."

"Why? Lady Elsie said that it is your favourite fruit." Ruth recalled Elsie saying that while she filled the tray with fruits.

"I used to like it, but not now.." Edwin smiled again, this time brightly. "Because you do not like it!"