Ruby let out a breath and placed her things on the table. Her voice was calm but firm. "We need to talk," she said, her eyes fixed on Adrian and Karl.
Adrian’s gaze shifted to the bag she set down, from where he stood, he could make out the corner of a red account book peeking through the opening, pressed up against a few small snack packages.
Ruby gotten them from the old witch after she completed data tranfer process.
His jaw clenched. He could see the changes in her—her calmness, the way she carried herself—but his mind refused to accept it. Deep down, a part of him whispered that she hadn’t really changed. That it was only temporary, and soon enough, she’d go back to being the same reckless, drunk Ruby they had always known.
Adrian’s fingers tightened into fists at his sides, the frustration building inside him. "What do you want to talk about, Ruby?" His voice was sharp, eyes narrowed. "Oh, wait—let me guess." He took a step closer, his words cutting like a blade. "You already know, don’t you? I stole your money! Yes, I did! And I don’t regret it, not one bit."
His chest rose and fell heavily as the words left his mouth. Even as he said it, a strange discomfort settled in his heart. He didn’t want to say it. It felt wrong, but the anger wouldn’t let him stop.
Because of her, Julian had raised his hand against him.
His jaw clenched as his thoughts spiraled. It’s all because of her.
Ruby’s expression darkened at his words. Her red eyes narrowed as she met his heated gaze, unflinching.
"You don’t even regret it, do you?" she asked, her voice low but Sharp. "Not once. You stole from your own house, and you don’t even feel ashamed?"
Adrian’s fists tightened, his knuckles turning pale. "No!" he snapped, his tone sharp. His dark eyes bore into hers, stubborn and filled with resentment. "You’re not my family, Ruby. Why should I feel guilty?"
For a moment, the room fell into silence.
Ruby’s lips pressed into a thin line as she took a small step forward, standing just a breath away from him. She tilted her head slightly, her red eyes gleaming under the light.
"Not your family?" she echoed, her voice steady. "Fine. But tell me, Adrian... who do you think was feeding you? Keeping you warm? Who was making sure you didn’t go hungry?"
Adrian’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond.
"I didn’t steal that money," Ruby said firmly. "I earned it."
"Who would believe you...? Out of nowhere, an alcoholic witch who knows nothing but drinking suddenly knows how to earn money? Seven notes aren’t a small amount—you probably stole it from somewhere," he said, his voice sharp, filed with suspicion. His eyes narrowed as if waiting for her to stumble over her own lies.
Ruby’s eyes darkened, a flicker of hurt flashing across them.
She knew the truth—the original owner of this body might have been reckless, irresponsible, and careless with everything, but she wasn’t.
Her hand instinctively tightened in fist.
She didn’t look away from his eyes, but there was a shift in her gaze—darker now, colder.
"I told you I didn’t steal! You can’t just accuse me like that!" Ruby’s voice cracked through the room, sharp and filled with frustration. Her dark eyes locked onto Adrian’s, burning with anger that made the space between them feel tight and suffocating. Her chest rose and fell quickly, each breath trying to hold back the fire building inside her.
Adrian didn’t look bothered.
"You couldn’t have made that much money on your own," he said slowly, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Just tell me where you stole it. Maybe I’ll tag along next time." He chuckled quietly, the sound low and irritating. "A drunk little witch like you... the only thing you’re good at is pouring another drink."
He watched her closely, his gaze flickering when he saw the brief change in her expression. That quick flash of hurt—it was faint, but he caught it. And somehow, it made him feel... satisfied. Like making her feel smaller was the only thing that gave him any comfort.
Ruby’s lips pressed into a tight line. Her fists clenched at her sides, fingers curling until her knuckles turned white. She didn’t want to let his words get to her, but they did. They slipped under her skin and stuck there.
The room felt too small. Too heavy...too suffocating.
A sharp gasp suddenly echoed from the entrance.
Angeline stood frozen at the doorway, her wide eyes flicking between Adrian and Ruby. She had come to visit, but the open door and Adrian’s voice had stopped her in her tracks.
Everyone turned toward the doorway.
Ruby eyes narrowed, throwing Adrian one last glare, but she didn’t say another word. The anger still burned inside her, but underneath it was something else, tiredness, maybe even hurt.
Without looking back, Ruby walked out, brushing past Angeline.
"Ruby, wait!" Angeline called after her, stepping forward quickly, but Ruby didn’t stop. Her pace quickened, her white hair flowing behind her as she disappeared down the dirt road.
"Wife...!" Julian’s voice echoed from inside the house as he hurried to the doorway, Milo following close behind.
"Wife! Please stop!" Milo shouted, his voice filled with panic as he watched her retreating figure.
But Ruby kept walking, her back straight and her fists clenched at her sides.
Julian stepped outside, watching her from the porch, his heart sinking. His bright blue hair glowed faintly under the dim dark red sky of the night, while his mossy green eyes softened with worry.
Milo tugged at Julian’s sleeve. "Brother Julian... what do we do?" he asked softly, his voice trembling as he looked up at him.
Julian sighed deeply, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let her be for now. She needs space," he said gently, though his eyes never left Ruby as she faded into the distance.
Angeline stood at the doorway, her gaze fixed on Adrian, who stood stiffly in the middle of the room, his arms still crossed.
"You don’t even know," she said, her voice calm but heavy with disappointment. "She earned that money by winning the Dangerous Land car competition... so she could buy a house for all of you."
—To be continued...🪄