"I-Iiii... Wife..." Karl stammered, his voice trembling as he avoided Ruby’s sharp gaze. His fingers nervously clutched the sleeves of his Robes, his baby-blue eyes darting around the room like a trapped animal.
Ruby raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a knowing smile, though her tone carried a hint of mockery. "Oh, I remember you calling me stupid wife not so long ago," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she folded her arms tighter.
Karl froze, his face turning pale as sweat beaded on his forehead. "I-I..." he tried to form words, but they came out as nothing more than a squeak.
Ruby’s expression softened just a little as she stepped closer. Her voice lowered, and instead of shouting, she spoke calmly—too calmly. "Tell the truth, Karl," she said, her tone steady but firm, "otherwise you won’t be able to live without feeling guilty."
Karl’s eyes widened, his nervousness clear. He blinked at her, surprised that she wasn’t yelling, and her words hit him right where it hurt. Guilt was already eating him alive, and the weight of it made his chest tight.
Julian, standing behind Ruby, watched silently, his mossy-green eyes flickering between the two. Even Milo, dared not say a word, sensing the seriousness of the situation.
Karl bit his lip hard, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I... I didn’t mean to..." he mumbled weakly, his voice cracking.
Ruby’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she kept her voice even. "What didn’t you mean to do, Karl?" she pressed, her red eyes watching him closely, reading every flicker of hesitation in his face.
Karl shifted his weight uncomfortably, his hands shaking slightly as he finally whispered, "I... I took a little money. Just a little... I swear!"
The room fell silent. Even Milo’s fidgeting stopped as he stared at Karl, wide-eyed.
Ruby exhaled, her expression unreadable as she watched him confess. "Why?" she asked simply, her tone still calm.
Karl’s shoulders slumped, and his voice was barely a whisper. "I-I just... thought we might need it. For the future. I didn’t want to..." He trailed off, tears almost threatening to spill from his big, baby-blue eyes.
Ruby watched him quietly for a moment, her sharp gaze softening just a little. "Karl, taking something without asking is wrong. Do you understand that?"
Karl nodded slowly, guilt written all over his face. "I’m sorry... I really am..."
Ruby let out a small sigh, her arms finally dropping to her sides. "Then prove it," she said. "Don’t hide things again. If you’re worried about something, come to me. Understand?"
"You’re still not telling me the whole truth," Ruby said, her red eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms. Her gaze shifted to Karl’s hands, which were twitching nervously, fingers fidgeting against the fabric of his robe.
Karl avoided her eyes, biting his lower lip. "Why do you even want to know? I already told you the truth! I stole the money. Brother Adi did nothing," he blurted out defensively, his voice a bit louder than necessary, as if trying to convince her with force alone.
Ruby’s expression didn’t change. Her lips curled into a faint smile, but her eyes flashed dangerously. "Then let’s wait until Brother Adi comes back," she said calmly, her tone steady, but there was no room for argument.
Karl froze, his face paling. His wide, baby-blue eyes darted up to meet hers as panic flickered across his expression. "W-wait! No, no, no need to wait! I’m telling you, wife, I really did it—just me!" His words tumbled out quickly, and he clenched his fists tightly, trying to stand his ground.
Ruby leaned back slightly, her gaze sharp as she observed him. "You’re a terrible liar, you know that?" she said, raising an eyebrow. Her calm voice only made Karl more nervous.
"I’m not lying!" Karl insisted again, but this time, his voice cracked, and his cheeks turned a faint shade of red. He looked down at the ground, avoiding her piercing stare.
Ruby let out a small sigh and shook her head. "Karl, your hands are twitching, your voice is cracking, and you’re not looking me in the eyes. You think I can’t tell you’re hiding something?"
Karl flinched and fumbled with the edge of his robe. His lip trembled slightly as he struggled to speak.
"We have to do something, Ruby even got a job in the government! Julian’s life is good now..." Grace, Levi’s mother, said, her voice panicked and sharp, pacing back and forth in their small, dimly lit room.
Levi chewed nervously on his thumb, his brow furrowed as he stared at his mother with wide, panicked eyes. "But what can we even do, Mother?" he asked.
Grace, his mother, leaned back slightly, her face dark with thought. Her thin lips pursed tightly as her sharp eyes stared into the distance, already scheming. "That’s what I’m trying to figure out," she muttered. Then, her gaze flickered toward Levi. "Should we contact Ruby’s aunt?"
Levi froze mid-chew, his thumb slipping from his lips as he stared at her in disbelief. "Why Ruby’s aunt?"
Grace crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful but bitter. "I’ve heard rumors," she said slowly, her voice dropping like she was sharing some grave secret. "Ruby has stopped drinking. That’s why she’s changed. I also heard she was the topper at her school back then. Smart, brilliant, everyone praised her."
Levi’s face paled at her words. He straightened suddenly, his nervousness only worsening. "Mom! Don’t scare me!" he said, his voice almost a squeak. "If that’s true, Julian—he—he’ll get so arrogant! You’ve seen him, haven’t you? He didn’t even look at us properly when we visited last time. Like we’re nothing!"
Grace’s face twisted into an ugly scowl, her jaw clenching as she remembered their last encounter. "That ghost has always been an ingrate," she hissed, "but now, if Ruby really gets back on her feet—"
"Mom, stop! I really don’t want to feel low compared to him," Levi interrupted, panic spreading across his face. His voice cracked, his words spilling out fast. "I can’t take it. If Ruby succeeds more, he’ll walk around like some prince, showing off his wife. We can’t let that happen!"
—To be continued...🪄