I know. I know. You guys probably think I've abandoned this story. But you are wrong! It's a moth since I updated, but yeah as I mentioned earlier, I have school and that means shitloads on top of shitloads of assignments.

When Jace returned to the office after lunch, he told me everything. I could only not and mumble to him. I was still lost in my own world of emotions, and I still had doubts about whether I wanted to hide my emotions yet again. I knew Jace picked up on the hostile vibe but he didn't say anything. I was grateful for that because if he asked, what would I say? That I wanted to become old me. Yeah right that would go down well.

After work, I returned home and decided to relax with a good book and chocolate. Scanning my shelves, I selected out of my range of books, one I hadn't read in a long time. Or actually read at all. I was going to but kept putting it off for more let's just say contemporary books. The Great Gatsby. Nestling into my comfy chair, I started to read.

About what I thought was a half-hour later, I glanced at the clock in my room. 3am. Fuck. I was going to be so tired at work tomorrow. I quickly pulled away from Nick and Jay and Daisy and slipped into bed.

The day started off well enough for me. I dressed and had breakfast and drove to work and worked. So imagine my surprise, when I saw Isabelle in the reception. No doubt, it for Jace but I being stupid decided to ask anyway what she was here for.

"Do you need to see Jace?" I asked politely with a light smile.

"Yes." She nodded her head curtly. "When will be here?"

I snorted lightly and said, "Jace doesn't have a good reputation in arriving to work on time, so…" I checked my watch. "About an hour's time but you're welcome to wait." With that, I breezed into my office. About fifteen minutes later, I heard angry whispers at the door. Against my good conscience, I crept up to eavesdrop.

"What about Katerina?" Isabelle asked.

"What about her?" I heard Jace whisper back. Well, I didn't know something was up with me.

"How… just how is this happening? Celeste or Katerina? You decide." Isabelle said. I heard walk off and I crept slowly to my desk to avoid getting caught. My mind was whirling. What was happening? I didn't want to know. It wasn't my place to ask even, but I was burning with curiosity. I wanted to know. I reasoned with myself and pushed that curiosity away. Jace and I were not dating. I had no right to just meddle in his affairs, even if it did include me.

I lightly touched the necklace that sat at the base of my neck. I had never taken it off. I still don't know why I didn't. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. For three years now, I had wore and only took it off if I absolutely had to. It was symbolic of my old life. The one in between. Of my brother and I.

Yes, my brother. Step-brother actually. I did have one. He left. And for a good reason. That girl might have destroyed him. It was sometime after Alex had gotten better after her depression, she had taken off on gone on a world tour and I was left with him. He was the son of the man who killed my father but honestly, I didn't blame him for anything. He didn't do it. I was climbing to the top at that time. Those days flashed in my mind.

"I didn't know it was asshole day at the Valmont house."

"And I can't allow that to happen. Everybody loves me and I intend to keep it that way."

"I'm sick of sleeping with these insipid Manhattan debutantes. Nothing shocks them anymore."

I'll admit in my climb to the top, I didn't do it the right way. I seduced and cheated people to the top. And the crazy thing was that I never got caught, even though it had nearly happened a few times.

My brother left sadly, after his stellar reputation was ruined. But during out three years together, we were never really brother and sister. We were more like… I couldn't explain it. One thing was for sure. He wanted to fuck me. In the end I was like another conquest for him, but to my benefit. He helped me take out all those standing in my way. I used the idea of him having the only thing he wanted but couldn't have as way to keep him with me.

The sad twisted thing was we understood each other perfectly. We laughed together and we took revenge on people who had hurt each of us together. That shit that we did had ruined a lot of people. And during our time together, I had bought us two matching ruby gems. Each one was a mate to the other. I had mine made into a necklace and he had his embedded into the frame of his glasses. When he left, I was crushed and I it hurt, but I was relieved by the fact that his reputation one again returned to what it was before. I hadn't seen him after he left and the one time I actually got to speak to him on the phone was short and brief but left me with some hope.

"I'll be there when you least expect me too…" Those days were behind me now. I was an alcoholic drug addict then. Now, I was the perfect example of classiness. And I loved myself for the changes. But those changes also made an impact on how unemotional I was.

I got back to work quickly, immersing myself in it. Another minute passed when Jace walked in, his eyes tired and his hair dull. When he walked passed me, I smelt a strong whiff of perfume. Overload. I wondered what the hell was going on, but decided not to ask him as a favour to what he did to me yesterday.

"Good morning?" It came out, as question and I wanted to smack myself for it. I already sounded suspicious.

"Good fucking morning, boss." He growled. I sat back, stunned. Jace didn't swear and then the signs hit me. He was hungover. The tired eyes looked like he had put in eye drops to make them white and the dull hair and the perfume was covering the stink of the alcohol.

"You're hungover, aren't you?" This I just had to ask.

"Thanks for noticing the obvious." That explained the snarky attitude as well. Well, it just wouldn't work with me.

"Go home Jace. Jut rest and come back tomorrow." I said to him. His bleary eyes lit up at the though of sleep and that made me almost smile. Almost, my lips twitched briefly. He practically ran out of the office.

"Gavin!" I called. A second later he came rushing in. "Where are the papers I needed to sign for the meeting today?" He handed them over without a word, I signed them without a word and he left without a word.

Miraculously, I got through the day without Jace, which really made me think about how much I needed him with me. As I walked home from the station into the house, I heard some beautiful piano music and smiled to myself. Alex had started to play. Wonderful.

I walked into the room and saw Alex sitting behind the piano. I smiled and watched her for a minute before she realized I was there. She got up.

"Hey, I got home early from work today so I thought, you know, might as well."

"It was beautiful." I told her.

We talked as we headed to our separate rooms. I checked on Sophia who was studying before I took a long hot shower and settled back into bed with The Great Gatsby and this time carrot slice and not chocolate. It wasn't as good but hey I didn't want to look like a fat pig.

This time, it was only 11pm when I went to sleep. My dreams let me be and I slept peacefully through the night, only wondering where Jace was and what he was doing and if he was feeling better?

A month guys! A month. Assignments have really taken a toll on life and I apologize for the wait, I do really and I promise I'll try and update but I do have school and that just drives me into overload mode, so yeah... I'll try my best but review so it keeps me inspired. Anyway the ruby necklace is on my profile as well as below.

Eashi Chand

Ruby Necklace - .