Chapter 32

• He snickered again, unaware of the nerve he had struck within her. Ruby felt a mix of irritation and frustration building up inside her as she warned him that she wasn't trying to be funny. Avoiding eye contact, she felt small and overshadowed by his towering presence.
• Caden, realizing his jest had not been well received, cleared his throat and attempted to adopt a more serious expression. He apologized, but Ruby couldn't help but roll her eyes at his attempt to rectify the situation. Her guard was up, sensing that there was an ulterior motive behind his sudden interaction.
• "What do you want?" she questioned, her tone laced with skepticism. Caden's laughter only intensified her suspicion, as if he were deliberately trying to provoke her into an argument.