Silence filled the room. For what had to be the first time in more than a week, Ruby looked Yvonne in the eyes, her face a mix of surprise and confusion.

“Ruby is an escort,” Yvonne said. “We got married in Vegas. We barely knew each other when we did it, and we were drunk. It was entirely spontaneous and ill thought out, and we only decided to stay married because of the money.” She turned to Ruby. “But in the months since then, I’ve fallen for Ruby completely.”

Ruby’s mouth fell open slightly. Yvonne didn’t stop to think about whether Ruby’s shock was the good kind. She needed to power through this.

“Ruby, these past months—all the moments we’ve shared in that time—they’ve made me feel more than I’ve felt in years. You made me feel things I didn’t know I could even feel, made me want things I never, ever thought I’d want. You got me to open up my heart in a way I’ve always been so afraid to do.”

Yvonne got down on her knees. “You make me happier than I ever thought I could be. I can’t even begin to tell you how much you mean to me. And when I look at you, I don’t see the stranger I met in a bar in Vegas. I see an incredible woman, so vibrant, so kind-hearted, so beautiful. And I’ve been so lucky to share my life and my heart with that woman.”

Yvonne looked into Ruby’s eyes. They shimmered with light.

“And through all that, I treated you badly,” Yvonne said. “I’ve been so scared of letting you in that I pushed you away, I shut you out, I hurt you. I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve any of it. I don’t deserve you.” Yvonne bowed her head. “But if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I’ll make up for it every single day. I’ll show you how I feel about you every single day.”

She took Ruby’s hand. “Our marriage, it may have been an arrangement, but what I feel for you is real. I love you, Ruby. And in the face of that, all of this—the inheritance, the money—none of it matters. You’ve given me something priceless. So I don’t care if our marriage is deemed real or not. I don’t care if I get my inheritance, as long as I have you.”

Ruby’s hand trembled in hers. “Yvonne…”

Ruby reached out and put a hand on Yvonne’s cheek, tilting Yvonne’s face up to gaze into her eyes.

“I… I love you too.”

Yvonne’s heart surged. She stood up, swept Ruby into her arms and kissed her urgently. She never wanted to let Ruby go.

Bill cleared his throat loudly. “All right. I’ve heard enough.”

Yvonne broke away from Ruby and sat back down. Her hand still held Ruby’s, and the warmth in her chest remained. She didn’t care about the money anymore. She’d find a way to help Nita. As long as she had Ruby, everything would be all right.