The door to Evander's office slammed behind her, leaving Ruby alone in the narrow corridor, the cold metal wall pressing against her back. Her stomach twisted violently. The word fired echoed in her skull, each letter a punch straight to her ribs.
She couldn't breathe. She couldn't move. The hallway seemed to tilt under her feet, the steady hum of the ship's engine suddenly deafening in her ears.
It was happening again.
The same helpless, drowning feeling she had after quitting Douglas's office, thinking she had a plan, thinking she could land on her feet.
Except now it was worse because this time, there was no backup plan. No safety net. No home waiting for her. Failure wasn't an option. It couldn't be. Not again. Not after everything she'd clawed her way through to get here.
She wiped the back of her hand across her face, feeling the heat of tears she refused to let fall. Not now. Not here.
She pressed her palm flat against the wall, forcing herself to breathe.
She though about Mr. Wen, the VIP guest she had humiliated without even realizing it. The man who despite everything might still have the power to change this if she could just make him see how sorry she was.
If she could just apologize, maybe... maybe he would reconsider. Maybe there was still a way to fix this. The idea felt desperate, reckless but it was the only one she had. If she didn't at least try, she'd hate herself more than if she failed.
She pushed herself off the wall and stumbled down the hall, ignoring the sting in her eyes, the knot twisting in her stomach.
Her hands trembled as she clutched her radio, whispering into it, voice thin.
~ Ruby: "Where... where's Mr. Wen currently?"
There was a crackle, a pause, and then the reply.
~ Crew Radio: "Lounge Deck 5. Private area. He's requested no disturbances unless it's urgent."
Her heart jumped against her ribs, panic flashing hot through her. This was urgent.
Without letting herself think twice, she turned sharply and headed for the nearest stairwell, the ship's familiar low rumble vibrating through her sneakers. Each step she took toward Deck 5 felt heavier, harder.
She rehearsed her words under her breath as she walked, trying to shape the apology in her head:
"I'm so sorry. I was ignorant. I should have known better. I didn't mean any disrespect..."
None of it sounded strong enough. None of it sounded like it could fix what she'd broken.
The corridors blurred as she hurried, past polished railings and gleaming windows. Crew members passed by her, a few casting glances at her flushed face, but no one stopped her. No one knew she was fighting for her life.
When she reached the private lounge entrance, her feet slowed.
It was roped off with a velvet cord, a polished sign reading "Private Function. No Entry" standing guard.
Two uniformed security crew stood nearby, arms folded across their chests.
She hesitated, heart hammering against her ribs so loudly she thought they might hear it.
One of the guards lifted an eyebrow at her, questioning. She swallowed, stepping forward on shaking legs.
~ Ruby: "Please. I... I need to see Mr. Wen. It's important. I just... I just need five minutes."
The guard frowned slightly, about to refuse but then a movement inside the lounge caught their attention.
Mr. Wen himself was visible beyond the glass doors, seated in an armchair, a glass of dark liquor in hand, his posture stiff, his expression dark.
Surrounded by a few other guests, but clearly dominating the room's mood with his silent, simmering anger.
The guard followed her gaze, then muttered something into his radio.
After a moment, he turned back to her, face impassive.
~ Guard: "You can go in. But you better make it fast."
She nodded quickly, her throat dry as sand. She ducked under the velvet rope and pushed the door open.
The warm, expensive air of the lounge hit her instantly: leather chairs, heavy drapes, the soft clink of glasses.
Conversation dipped into silence the moment she stepped in. Every eye turned toward her.
Mr. Wen looked up slowly. The silence stretched, heavy and unbearable.
She walked forward, heart pounding so hard it hurt. She stopped a respectful distance away, hands clenched tightly at her sides.
For a moment, she didn't know how to start. The words tangled uselessly in her mouth. Then she forced herself to speak, voice shaking but clear enough to be heard.
~ Ruby: "Mr. Wen. I... I just wanted to say how deeply sorry I am. For earlier. For the presentation. It was unprofessional. I take full responsibility. I didn't intend any disrespect. I didn't understand, and that was my failure."
He said nothing. Just stared at her, his dark eyes hard, unmoved. The silence pressed harder, suffocating.
She swallowed, trying again, the desperation bleeding through.
~ Ruby: "I... I know an apology doesn't fix it. But I truly regret it. I'm learning. I'm trying to do better. If there's any way I can make this right, I want to."
Still, he said nothing.
The air between them felt brittle, electric, like the moment before a storm breaks.
And then, slowly, Mr. Wen set his glass down on the table beside him. He rose from his chair, every movement precise, deliberate.
The other guests shifted slightly, sensing something about to happen.
Mr. Wen stepped toward her, stopping just close enough that she could feel the weight of his presence.
His voice, when it came, was soft, controlled qnd absolutely merciless.
~ Mr. Wen: "You Americans are all the same. Arrogant. Ignorant. Smiling while you insult the people who could crush you without even noticing."
Ruby flinched like he'd slapped her. Her throat tightened, shame crawling up her spine.
~ Mr. Wen: "You think an apology is enough? After parading your ignorance in front of everyone?"
He shook his head, a cold, disappointed smile touching his lips.
~ Mr. Wen: "Go. Get out of my sight."
His voice cut through her, leaving no room for argument.
The young woman opened her mouth to beg, to explain but the weight of his glare crushed the words before they could form.
Her face burned with humiliation. Her hands shook. She bowed her head slightly, turned, and walked out of the lounge without another word.
The door clicked softly behind her. And she was alone again. Alone, and no closer to saving herself than before.
The air in the corridor felt thin, suffocating. She leaned against the wall, her breath shallow and shaking.
She had tried but it hadn't mattered at all. She slid slowly down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around her knees, blinking hard against the sting of tears.
Somewhere deep inside, a voice whispered:
You're out. It's over.
๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ
๐ณ๏ธ ๐ณ๏ธ
๐ฅ๏ธ ๐ฅ๏ธ
โด๏ธ ๐ต๐ ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐ โด๏ธ
๐ข ๐ข
โด๏ธ โด๏ธ
๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ๐ฌ๏ธ
The redhead moved through the corridors like a ghost. Her hands felt numb. Her legs moved without direction, her body hollow and mechanical.
Back at her cabin, she closed the door quietly behind her. The overhead light flickered once, buzzing faintly.
Jada wasn't there. Out somewhere, working, living, being competent.
The empty cabin pressed around Ruby like a tomb. Slowly, she crossed the room, dropping to her knees beside her bed. She pulled her duffel bag out from underneath, her fingers clumsy against the zipper.
She sat there for a moment, staring at it. At the small, stupid pile of clothes and books she had unpacked so carefully just days ago.
The little string of fairy lights she had started to put up. The photo of Isla she had tucked into the edge of the mirror. All of it seemed ridiculous now. Like a dream someone else had lived.
Her hands shook as she began folding her clothes back into the bag, robotically, one item after another, shoving away the hope piece by piece.
"Failure."
The word echoed in her skull, sharp and ugly.
She thought of Natalie. Of her sister's proud smile when she had known about the job offer. Of Isla squealing into the phone, "Auntie Wuby on a boat!" She thought of the sacrifices Natalie had made. Paying her rent. Covering her groceries. Believing in her when she hadn't deserved it.
And here she was again. Failing. Ruining it.
Proving to everyone, to herself, that she couldn't do it.
Her vision blurred. She bit down hard on her lip to keep the sobs locked in her chest. No tears. Not yet. Not while there was still work to do. Not while she could at least have the dignity of leaving quietly.
She stuffed the last of her uniforms into the bag, yanking the zipper closed with trembling hands. The duffel slumped onto the mattress beside her like a body.
A sharp knock at the door made her flinch violently.
She wiped her face quickly with the sleeve of her uniform.
~ Carla: "Ruby? You in there?"
Her heart dropped. Of course, Carla was here to make it official. To escort her off the ship. To tell her to hand over her badge, her ID, her everything.
She stood slowly, her legs stiff, her mouth dry. She opened the door. Carla stood there, slightly out of breath, a strange look on her face.
Something between frustration and confusion. For a moment, they just stared at each other. Ruby waiting for the final blow. Carla seeming almost... unsure.
~ Carla: "Captain Levander wants to see you. Now."
Ruby blinked, not understanding.
~ Ruby: "What? Why?"
~ Carla: "He didn't say. Just said to bring you. Right now."
The words didn't make sense.
Why would the captain want to see her?
Why waste time on someone already fired, already discarded? Her chest tightened. Maybe this was the formal firing.
Captain Levander himself reading her the official notice before security escorted her off the ship.
Carla's expression softened, just a little.
Pity, maybe. Or maybe just tiredness.
~ Carla: "Come on. Grab your badge. Leave the bag."
Ruby hesitated, her fingers brushing the duffel. Leaving it felt wrong. Unsafe. Like turning her back on the last piece of herself she still had control over. But she obeyed. She left it there, sitting alone on the bunk.
The two of them moved into the hallway, Ruby trailing behind Carla like a prisoner headed for judgment.
The walls seemed to close in around her with every step. Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs. This was it. The final page. The last humiliation. And she was powerless to stop it.