Julian was standing by the table, carefully setting down a fresh plate of food. He had prepared breakfast again.
The warm aroma of healthy breakfast and tea filled the room, comforting and inviting. Everything was neatly arranged, just the way he always did it, quietly, without fuss, without being asked.
When he noticed her, he smiled gently, his green eyes warm.
"Wife... have a proper breakfast," he said, his voice soft yet firm.
Ruby paused, taking in his thoughtfulness, the quiet care in his actions.
He was such a precious gem.
In the blink of an eye, Ruby received her business registry certificate. Wasting no time, she went back to the registry office to verify all her details. Everything checked out perfectly. Now, it was official—she could finally start her business with her own brand.
Excitement fluttered in her chest, but it was quickly overshadowed by the next challenge: finding a suitable place for her office.
She sighed, feeling a little stressed. Starting a business was no small task, and finding the right place to work from was proving to be harder than she thought.
Ruby reached out to Angeline, hoping she might know a good location, but unfortunately, Angeline didn’t seem to have any leads.
Ruby sighed again, leaning back in her chair. To be honest, she was starting to feel stressed. The weight of planning, managing tasks, and meeting deadlines was catching up with her.
She sat in the living room now, savoring a cup of warm tea prepared by Julian. The comforting aroma and warmth eased some of the tension in her shoulders. She closed her eyes briefly, letting out a soft sigh of relief as the stress slowly melted away with each sip.
Julian always knew how to make her feel better, even without saying much.
That peace didn’t last long, however, as the doorbell suddenly rang, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Milo, who had been quietly practicing writing in the corner as she taught them, perked up and he quickly set down his pencil. "I’ll get it!" he said, bouncing to his feet and hurrying toward the door.
Ruby watched him go, curiosity flickering in her mind. Who could it be now?
"Huh? Brother Pillu, you’re here?" Milo blinked in confusion, tilting his head as he looked at the unexpected guest.
Pillu smiled innocently. "Can I come inside?"
Milo’s confusion quickly turned into excitement. "Of course! Please come inside!" He happily stepped aside, letting Pillu enter.
As soon as Pillu spotted Ruby, his face lit up with happiness. "Miss Ruby!" he called out cheerfully, waving as he walked toward her.
Ruby, lost in thought, barely registered his voice at first. "Hey... Pilla..." she murmured absentmindedly, still distracted.
The moment the name left her lips, her eyes widened in horror. Sh*t! She had pronounced his name wrong.
What did I just call him?!
Realizing her mistake, she almost bit her tongue. She quickly opened her mouth to apologize. "I am—"
Before she could finish, Pillu suddenly grinned from ear to ear.
"Wow, Miss Ruby! You gave me a nickname!" he said, looking absolutely delighted.
Ruby froze, blinking at him. He’s... happy?
She had expected him to be offended or at least confused, but instead, he looked overjoyed, his entire face beaming with excitement.
Feeling a little guilty for the accidental nickname, Ruby sighed and stood up from her chair. She motioned for him to sit on the opposite sofa. "Come, sit," she said, her voice softer.
Pillu nodded eagerly and sat down, still grinning. "I like it," he added, swinging his legs slightly as he settled in.
"So, what brings you here, Pillu?" Ruby asked as she leaned back into the sofa, crossing her legs.
Milo, curious, plopped down beside Pillu, but the moment he did, Pillu’s expression shifted–his earlier excitement replaced by an unhappy pout.
"Miss Ruby... did you forget about me?" he asked, his voice laced with disappointment.
"Huh?" Ruby blinked, confused.
"Heh?" Milo echoed, both of them staring at Pillu.
Pillu let out an exaggerated sigh, crossing his arms. "I mean... I heard you’re looking for a place to buy for your office. But you didn’t even ask me!" His lips jutted out in an even deeper pout. "It’s a good thing Brother Kenji happened to ask me if I knew any places, or else I would’ve been completely in the dark!"
Ruby tilted her head slightly. She really hadn’t thought of asking Pillu.
But before she could say anything, Pillu suddenly grinned, his previous sulking vanishing in an instant. "But don’t worry! I’ve got a place you can buy."
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "You do?"
Pillu nodded eagerly. "Yep! And it’s a really good one too!"
"Really? Where’s the location?" Ruby asked, already feeling excited.
Pillu leaned forward, grinning. "It’s near our market, but a little farther out. My friend’s wife is selling a warehouse, you can start your office there!"
Ruby’s eyes narrowed slightly in thought. A warehouse? That could work...
Pillu continued excitedly, "And you can get it for just 250 gems! It was originally 300, but since you’re my friend, they lowered the price." He puffed his chest a little, clearly proud of the deal. "It’s not a huge space, but you’ll also get a small piece of land along with it. You can expand later if you want."
A warehouse with land? That was actually a really good deal! The fact that the price had been lowered because of Pillu made it even better.
"That sounds promising," she said, her mind already racing with possibilities. "Can I see it?"
"Well, currently, no!" Pillu said, shaking his head. "Right now, they’re still moving out, so they’re busy. But maybe in two days, you can go check it out... But trust me, I’ve seen it! It’s perfect."
Ruby’s smile widened, excitement bubbling in her chest. "Thank you, Pillu!" she said genuinely.
Pillu waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, come on, don’t thank me!" he said, though his grin showed he was clearly enjoying the appreciation.
But then, he suddenly pouted again, crossing his arms. "But I am unhappy..."
—To be continued...🪄