0.1 | No Exit from Deception ✓

0.20 | Morning, Jogging and a tinge of Gossiping

Joseph bolted down the garden path like an Olympic champion at the start run, his red North Face tee clung to his abs and chest. Ruby quickened her pace to an all-out sprint and was reverse running.

Having pulled his earphones, Ruby yelled while the sound of panting followed, "Hellooo? You said we'd be jogging. But, we are practically running."

He didn't reply and she knew it all too well, for Joseph was that kind of man who opened his mouth rarely and expected the other person to make out whatever answer he or she wanted through his static facial expression.

He sucked in a sharp breath through his nostrils and continued running. Shaking her head, she plugged his earphones into one of her ears and regretted wearing them all together ─ the instrumental notes blasted like jumbo bombs during warfare. That could potentially damage her hearing ability.

"Ugh! Drum kicks ─ how can one start a day with that?"

Joseph snatched and shoved them inside his tracks side pocket wordlessly. She rolled her eyes at that.

"Like seriously, it's has been more than forty-five minutes, and I don't understand why are we running like this? Who jogs at 4 am wearing a ball cap and sunglasses, please tell me?" She pulled the black shades to the edge of her nose.

"I'm being careful so that no one registers your face. Put them on," he finally uttered.

She annoyingly went on, "You don't fear the CCTV team that could capture us and publish our picture on the front page of the newspaper. With the headline: Early birds catching the worms. Another one: A suspicious couple caught by the police in the predawn hours ─ jogging or robbing? Take your pick! We are looking like thieves! At least we should slow down so that we don't disturb the sleeping Seattle," Ruby suggested, panting as she turned around.

"If that's the case ─ then you are giving them an open invitation. Can you not give a rest to your rant and rave here?" he sneered, throwing a pointed glance at her.

"And can you not answer my queries nicely, like without shouting, cursing at me, and making me look like the culprit? It can't be called a day in Mr. Holden's life until he picks a fight with me."

A minute of no impulsive based sound being produced by either of them apart from the heavy groans streaming out of her mouth out of lack of breath passed away. Her throat was desiccated just like a pine tree, not blessed with pre-winter watering in the desert territories of the United States.

"Just see how perfect my body is; it's slim and trim. Proudly meeting the gold standard for being beautiful. I admit these days I've put on a little weight. Blame the bacon cheeseburgers that Sarah makes. They are so irresistible. But, but, but, the flesh is on the right parts tho." She winked, slapping her hand on the butt twice.

"Running improves your cardiovascular system irrespective of your body weight. Unfortunately, your impaired brain will not be able to grasp this. And also your educational background doesn't speak much for you, so . . . just follow my lead mutely."

Was that a taunt? Yes, an outright one. He disrespected her again. She had lost count of how many times he had worked his way out by demeaning and degrading her.

She stopped in her tracks and stooped down, sighing. "Joseph! I'm surrendering."

He halted and turned around. "My house is only two blocks away. Get up! It's not your playground."

"My house! literally," Ruby scoffed. Never had she felt so alienated in these years, as she had right now. Still, after living in his house for a period of two weeks ─ two weeks of dusting his drawing room, two weeks of experimenting with the undercooked versus overcooked cereal in the kitchen, and two weeks of watering his plants. Was that not enough for her to be considered an integral part of his home? Even being called a housemaid would also surge relief in her body. But no: His property is his property, none of anybody else's property.