A MAZE OF GREED

Edwin turned in irritation when he heard someone suck a deep breath out of shock. He was ready to lash out at the intruder when he had strictly commanded that no one disturbed him but as soon as his cerulean blue eyes noticed who the person was his words remained stuck in his throat.

He was aghast, shaken to his core looking at the round face that screamed nothing but hatred.

"Ruth..." The bare whisper went unnoticed by the very person as she ran towards Florence and cocooned her in her arms.

Florence was broken and couldn't control a loud sob that escaped her mouth and she let the stream of her pain flow boundlessly in Ruth's arms.

After misunderstanding Rees, Ruth felt ashamed to stand in front of him. She wanted to run from there without wasting a moment but she remembered about Florence. She couldn't abandon her in this place.

Not able to withstand the presence of a person who had insulted her in a very degrading way, she ran towards the guest chamber where Florence was earlier escorted by a maid.

But she didn't expect what her eyes would witness once she reached there. She saw how Edwin held Florence by her throat and his spiteful words stung her deeply as if she was at the receiving end of them instead of Florence.

Rees was hot on Ruth's tail and when he saw the unfoldings of the event, he was speechless. His fear had turned true. It was the very reason that he didn't want Ruth to stay in 'the great manor'.

His eyes darted to his Master and his insides churned in fear as he noticed that look in his eyes. He had witnessed it multiple times before and it didn't bother him until the night in the woods.

Edwin was transfixed in his spot, unable to move even by an inch. His eyes were trained on Ruth as if he was in a stupor.

Edwin's every reaction towards Ruth made Rees's doubt clearer and he prayed to the moon goddess that it was all in his head and nothing of it was true. But he had no proof and neither he could ask his master. Only time would be the enlightening light!

"Florence, please. Calm down! Let me see your bruise first." Ruth pulled away from Florence and after moving her brunette hair out of the way, she saw reddish markings of fingers on Florence's pale and flawless skin.

Anger surged inside Ruth, her face hardened. She was already upset with her fight with Rees and now seeing Florence get hurt and humiliated broke her dam of politeness and patience.

She lifted her gaze to look at Edwin and he was taken aback by the amount of hostility she held for him.

"I can't believe that the young blood of O'Dells has such low morals to assault a woman like this! Just because of your family's position, you rich and spoiled men think that you can walk all over everyone. But that's not the case, Mr O'Dell!

Even if we are not filthy rich like you and don't have obeisance of servants at our beck and call, we still are more human than you could ever be!"

Rees was shocked to see her outburst as he had never seen Ruth this angry. His panicked eyes glanced towards Edwin who stood like a rock with a void face.

Before anyone could react, Ruth cast a condemning look towards Edwin and then towards Rees then dragged crying Florence along with her.

She was so infuriated that she didn't realise what she had done by disrespecting Edwin O'Dell. For her misconduct, she could have been thrown behind the bars or starve till death in the darkroom of the dungeons but she didn't care.

She had had enough of the wealthy one belittling the poor.

Five minutes of excruciating silence after Ruth left felt like ages to Rees. Edwin still stood in his place like a statue.

"Master?"

Rees called him cautiously, waiting for a volcano to erupt.

Edwin didn't reply. Rees's word fell on his ears but it reflected not reaching his brain.

Ever so slowly, his hand lifted to reach his chest. The thumping of his heart reminded him of his aliveness. It was beating hard against his chest, his mind was still wrapped around the image of her face and voice.

He turned to look at Rees and the man knew what was the upcoming question from his master's mouth.

"She is friends with Florence, Master."

Edwin shut his eyes tightly, cursing his stars.

*

*

*

"Ruth, Ruth! Please slow down!" Florence called from behind with laboured breaths.

Ruth's steps halted as she realised that Florence was far behind her. She didn't realise the fast pace of her walking for she was too furious to notice anything.

Florence caught up with Ruth and by this time her tears were replaced by beads of sweat due to all the half running to match Ruth's pace.

"This was the first time I ever saw you this angry. What had gotten into you?" Florence asked after catching her breath and making sure that Ruth had calmed down a bit.

But she was wrong. Ruth gave an incredulous look to Florence. "Seriously, Florence? You are asking me that? Aren't you hurt and angry at his cruel behaviour towards you? Didn't you feel anything?"

Florence pursed her lips as she didn't like Ruth's tone of speech but she kept quiet for a minute. She let Ruth calm down.

"I know. I felt that anger and hurt as much as you did rather more than that. But that is fine. If I want to make him mine then I have to take slow steps." She said calmly.

But that reply didn't sit well with righteous Ruth. "After this, you still want him? Are you that dense or have you lost all the self respect and morals over the years in your business?" Ruth spat, unable to contain herself.

For a woman like Ruth, who had fought every breath to preserve her honour, it was hard to digest Florence's words.

"Ruth! I would prefer it if you mind your words. Don't forget who you are talking with." Florence glared at Ruth.

She didn't think that Ruth would say something like that to her. She had heard it multiple times from people, but coming it from Ruth, who was indebted to her generosity dampened her ego.

Ruth realised the harshness of her words but she meant it. Her face softened a bit and before she could mend her words, Florence beat her to it.

"I thought you are different but I guess I misjudged."

Ruth's mouth left half-open, her brows scrunched in the middle.

"People like you who have spent their life in the puddle of misery and hardships can never understand the sense of power. I will gulp down every sip of insult and humiliation if it means I can be a wife of Edwin O'Dell.

Has the thought ever cross your mind that how much power and fortune I will have in my hands then?"

Ruth blinked and thought it was not Florence who misjudged, it was her that hastily jumped to conclusion that Florence might be a not as bad person as the world thought.

But hearing her words at that moment made Ruth wonder if that was what happened with people when they got addicted to an easy life.

"Suits you! You are right that people like me can never understand the importance of power because we hold morals above anything else. And I can never be able to walk in your shoes. Never!"

Tears of pain clouded her vision.

A cold smile appeared on Florence's face and she took a step closer to Ruth. The look in her hazel brown eyes was enough to freeze Ruth in her place.

Nearing her face close to Ruths' Florence said in a low and dangerous voice, "Humans are greedy creatures, Ruth! And power has this sweet taste that once you have it, you can not get enough of it. There is no turning back on the path of discovering the power.

Your greed for it will not let you live peacefully until you get what your heart desires. This path is not smooth and straight. There are hundreds of obstacles and pits of everything that you consider unethical.

This maze of greed draws you to the extents of sacrifices that you think you are not capable of. It will break you, shake you, make you forget your values and will turn you into a whole new person that one day when you face your reflection, you are looking at a stranger.

Only those whose desires are stronger than their limits can solve this maze of greed and when you do it, you are above everyone else at the enormous heights of success and power."

Ruth was shaken to her core. Her legs felt weak and her heart beat faster assailing her chest.

Mercilessly, Florence didn't let their eye contact break and whispered in a low voice.

"You will understand it one day but I am not sure if you will make it successfully out of your maze of greed!"