Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 108

Chapter 108: The Smell of Soap

Ruelle looked at Ezekiel whose concern had cost her nights of pain. Even now when the fabric of her clothes brushed against her back, she remembered the pain. She was about to turn away when he caught sight of her and questioned,

"Ruelle, where have you been all these days? All of us have been so worried about you," Ezekiel’s brows drew together.

"I am doing fine," Ruelle murmured before asking, "Where is she...?"

"Caroline?" He let out a tired sigh as though the name itself weighed on him. "She took what happened in class badly. I don’t even know what brought upon such behaviour. I tried to calm her down. I told her she shouldn’t have behaved that way in front of everyone."

He then continued, "I think the pressure of the contract... it’s getting to her. It hasn’t been easy," he gave a helpless smile.

The argument from earlier with Caroline still rang in his ears—

’What was that, Eze?’ Caroline demanded, bewilderment and hurt tangling in her voice as they stopped at the end of the corridor. ’What is going on between you and Ruelle?’

’What nonsense are you talking about now? You just made a spectacle of yourself in my classroom.’ His jaw tightened before he continued, ’This is where I work, Caroline. A place where people respect me. And you thought it was appropriate what you did back there?’

’I—I made a scene?" Her expression faltered at his words as she asked. "You and she are the ones making a fool of me! Is that why you’ve been distant?’

He let out a slow breath through his nose. He rubbed his forehead and remarked,

’There is nothing like that. You are overthinking as usual.’ He turned slightly away, as though this conversation had already dragged on too long as he looked in the direction of the class. ’She disappeared for a week. No one knew where she was. Of course I tried to look for her, she is your sister.’

’You were looking for her?’ Caroline’s voice cracked. ’When did I ask you to do that? Since when is that your responsibility? Since when is she more important than your own wife’s freedom?’

Her thoughts began racing faster than she could speak them, horror stitching together its own story in her mind. Ezekiel said quietly,

’Go to your room and cool your head before you cause more damage, Caroline. Just because Ms. Gilbert chose not to address your behaviour doesn’t mean the others won’t. The least you can do is stop dragging me down with you.’

Caroline flinched, her hand shaking before her hand raised and she slapped him across his face in rage. Tears pooled into her eyes and she sobbed, ’How could you do... Ezekiel!’ before running away from there.

Back in the present, Ezekiel pushed the memory aside. He said,

"I am sorry about what happened in the class. Caroline shouldn’t have done that."

Ruelle gave a small nod.

"You have been quiet. Is something the matter?" Ezekiel asked, and he went to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You can always talk to m—"

Ruelle took a step back before his hand could reach her, leaving it suspended awkwardly in the air.

She was mentally exhausted and she wanted to stay away from everything that was connected to her family. Her lips parted to speak,

"Mr. Henley, there are enough misunderstandings and Caroline wouldn’t like it if you spoke to me. Please don’t touch me," her lips set into a thin line after she spoke carefully. "For my peace and for your own, please refrain from talking to me."

Ezekiel’s hand slowly lowered and for a moment, he simply looked at her. After everything he had done.... This was how she was responding?

"Ruelle..." Ezekiel’s voice dropped, softer now, almost hurt. "Don’t you think that’s a little unfair?"

"What is?" Ruelle frowned slightly. She noticed a faint crease forming between his brows, as though he were the one trying to understand her. She said, "I don’t want Caroline to misunderstand—"

"Ruelle," Ezekiel’s hand which had lowered a moment ago, curled faintly at his side before he forced it to relax. He gave a tired smile, the kind that asked for understanding as if the other person was being unreasonable. "I only got involved because I didn’t want you to be alone in all this. You don’t have to shut me out just because others misunderstand us."

"What...?" she whispered taken aback, feeling the corridor grow narrower.

It was the first time she had felt uneasy being near him. It was as if she owed him.

Before another word could be spoken, Ms. Gilbert called him from the other end of the corridor,

"Mr. Henley, we need to head to the next class."

Ruelle turned and caught the Seduction Techniques instructor wearing a grim expression and it made her question how much of their conversation she had overheard. Taking the interruption as an opportunity, she bowed her head before stepping away from there.

When night settled over Sexton, Ruelle returned to her room. The corridors were quieter now, the usual noise softened into muffled voices behind closed doors. She could hear the occasional echo of distant footsteps.

Right now, Ruelle reached for a cloth, tied it around the end of a thin wooden rod and began dusting the place. It was a repetitive motion, something to keep her occupied.

Her gaze drifted upward to the high shelves where a faint line of dust still clung along the wood.

"Oh, you think you can hide up there?" she spoke to the dust. "None of you will survive under my watch."

She dragged a nearby chair across the room, its legs scraping softly and climbed onto it. When she tried to step onto the armrest to gain a little more reach, the hem of her skirt caught against her ankle, tugging and threatening to trip her.

She then gathered the front of her skirt in both hands and tied it loosely at her waist, freeing her legs. Placing one foot on the armrest and the other on the cushion, she steadied herself with a hand against the wall before she continued to clean.

She was so focused on reaching the far corner of the shelf that she didn’t hear the door open.

Foolish thing.

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