Chapter 99

The apartment was unusually quiet.

That alone should have been the first warning sign.

Lisa blinked awake slowly, her vision still blurred with sleep, her body heavy and warm under the blankets. Morning light peeked through the curtains, soft and harmless—too harmless, she would later think.

She stretched lazily, one arm tightening instinctively around the small, warm weight tucked against her chest.

Wait.

Lisa froze.

Her brain, still buffering from sleep, tried to process the situation. Something felt… off.

Where was the usual noise?

No tiny giggles.
No soft babbling.
No suspicious silence followed by chaos.

Too quiet.

Way too quiet.

Her eyes snapped open.

“Ruby?” she croaked, voice still thick with sleep.

No response.

Lisa’s heart skipped.

She slowly pushed herself up, panic already bubbling under her ribs. Her eyes darted around the room—the crib beside the bed was empty.

Empty.

Empty.

Her breathing hitched.

“No, no, no—”

She sat up fully now, adrenaline hitting her like a truck. “Ruby?!”

Nothing.

Lisa shot out of bed, hair a mess, shirt twisted, eyes wide with pure terror.

“RUBY?!”

Still nothing.

Her heart started racing faster, louder, like it was trying to break out of her chest.

“Oh my god—oh my god—Jennie’s gonna kill me.”

That was it. That was her first full thought.

Not logic. Not reason.

Just: Jennie is going to absolutely destroy me.

Lisa stumbled out of the bedroom, nearly tripping over her own feet as she rushed into the living room.

“Ruby?! Baby?! Where are you?!”

She checked the couch.

Under the table.

Behind the curtains.

Nothing.

Her breathing turned frantic.

“What if she crawled out? What if she—what if she learned how to open doors?!” Lisa gasped, running to the front door.

Locked.

Thank god.

But that didn’t calm her.

“What if someone took her?!”

Her brain immediately went to worst-case scenario mode.

Lisa grabbed her phone with shaking hands, pacing back and forth like a maniac.

“Okay—okay—call Jennie? No—no—don’t call Jennie. She’ll—she’ll—”

Her voice dropped to a horrified whisper.

“She’ll bury me.”

Lisa clutched her hair.

“I LOST OUR BABY. I LOST RUBY. OH MY GOD.”

She was spiraling now.

Full panic mode.

She ran back into the bedroom, eyes scanning wildly again.

“Think, Lisa, THINK!”

She checked the bathroom.

The kitchen.

Even opened random cabinets like Ruby could somehow fit inside one.

“RUBY!!!”

Her voice cracked.

Tears were already forming.

“I swear, if Jennie finds out before I do—no—no—I have to find her first. I can fix this. I can fix this—”

Lisa suddenly froze mid-step.

Something felt… warm.

…Warm?

Her thoughts slowed.

Her body stilled.

Slowly—very slowly—Lisa looked down.

And there—

Snuggled comfortably against her chest.

Tiny arms curled.

Cheek squished.

Peacefully sleeping.

Ruby.

Lisa stared.

Blank.

Silent.

Processing…

Processing…

Processing—

“…Oh.”

A long pause.

Then—

“Oh.”

Her shoulders dropped.

Her soul returned to her body.

And then—

Lisa let out the most dramatic, shaky exhale known to mankind.

“OH MY GOD.”

Her knees nearly gave out as she carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, still holding Ruby like she might vanish if she blinked.

“You—” she whispered, voice trembling, “—you were HERE the whole time?!”

Ruby, completely unaware of the emotional destruction she had just caused, made a tiny sleepy noise and nuzzled closer into Lisa’s chest.

Lisa stared at her in disbelief.

“I just searched the entire apartment… I almost wrote my will… I ACCEPTED MY DEATH—”

Ruby yawned.

Lisa clutched her gently but dramatically.

“I thought Jennie was going to end me. I saw my life flash before my eyes. I was already planning how to apologize in my last moments—”

The bedroom door creaked open.

Lisa froze.

Slowly—very slowly—she turned her head.

Jennie stood there, hair slightly messy, still in her pajamas, looking very much like someone who just woke up.

“…Why are you yelling at 8 in the morning?” Jennie asked, squinting.

Lisa immediately straightened, hugging Ruby protectively.

“NOTHING.”

Jennie raised an eyebrow.

“You sounded like someone was dying.”

Lisa laughed nervously.

“HAHA—nope! No dying! Everyone alive! Very alive! Extremely alive!”

Jennie blinked at her.

“…You’re acting weird.”

“I’M NOT WEIRD,” Lisa said too quickly.

Jennie’s eyes shifted down.

To Ruby.

Peacefully sleeping.

In Lisa’s arms.

Jennie tilted her head.

“…Wasn’t she with you the whole time?”

Lisa froze.

Silence.

A beat.

Two beats.

“…Yes.”

Jennie narrowed her eyes.

“…Lisa.”

“I can explain.”

“Explain what?”

Lisa took a deep breath.

“…I thought I lost her.”

Jennie stared.

“…While holding her?”

“…Yes.”

Another pause.

Jennie blinked once.

Then twice.

And then—

She burst out laughing.

Full-on, uncontrollable laughter.

Lisa pouted.

“It’s NOT funny!”

“You panicked—” Jennie wheezed, holding her stomach, “—while she was literally attached to you?!”

“I WAS HALF ASLEEP!”

“You screamed like the world was ending!”

“IT WAS ENDING FOR ME.”

Jennie wiped a tear from laughing too hard.

“Oh my god… I married an idiot.”

Lisa gasped softly.

“Hey!”

Jennie walked over, still giggling, and gently brushed Ruby’s hair.

“She didn’t even wake up,” Jennie said, amused. “You had a full breakdown and she slept through it.”

Lisa looked down at Ruby, who was still peacefully asleep, completely unbothered.

“…traitor.”

Jennie snorted.

Lisa sighed dramatically, leaning back against the headboard.

“I really thought you were going to kill me.”

Jennie smirked.

“I mean… if you actually lost her? Maybe.”

Lisa tightened her hold on Ruby instantly.

“NEVER HAPPENING.”

Jennie leaned down and kissed Lisa’s forehead softly.

“Good. Try not to lose her again while she’s in your arms.”

Lisa groaned.

“I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

Jennie grinned.

“Absolutely not.”

Lisa looked at Ruby again, then sighed, pressing a soft kiss to her head.

“…Worth it.”

Jennie smiled softly, climbing into bed beside them.

And just like that, the chaos melted into warmth.

Ruby stirred slightly, then settled between them.

Safe.

Sound.

And very, very unaware that she had just caused the biggest panic of Lisa’s life.