"But the real question is—what was he doing there in the first place?"
Karl’s lips parted slightly, his anger shifting into confusion. "Julian said he was going to the market... something about buying inners and other stuff. But how did he end up there?" He scratched his head, his brows furrowing.
Ruby exhaled, feeling a strange sense of relief sharing this with someone. "And this morning, he was acting weird. Distant. Cold. Like I did something wrong..." Her voice softened at the end, and she bit her lip.
Karl’s eyes lit up suddenly, his expression shifting into one of realization. "I know why!" he blurted out, sitting up straight.
Ruby’s head snapped up, hope flashing in her eyes. "You do?"
"Yes! That shithead—do you know Julian’s cousin?! I think he’s behind this! He must have done something!" Karl’s voice rose with frustration. "He visited our house once, remember? I kept wondering why he wasn’t making a move, and it turns out he was planning something big!"
His jaw clenched, his baby-blue eyes burning with anger. "He must have done something to Julian... I’m telling you, stupid wife, if we don’t deal with that bastard, he’s going to ruin us."
His gaze locked onto hers, sharp and serious.
"Why would he do that?" Ruby frowned, confusion clouding her mind. "And what did he do that made Julian hate me...?" She muttered under her breath, her thoughts swirling.
Karl, who had been fuming, suddenly froze. His ears twitched as he processed her words.
"Julian... hates you?" His voice came out in a whisper, almost like he was testing the sound of those words. Then, his eyes widened in pure horror.
Ruby blinked at his reaction, confused. "What?"
Karl turned to her with the most dramatic, terrified expression she had ever seen. He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "You can have me hate you, Adrian hate you, even Milo hate you but never make Julian hate you!"
His entire body shuddered as he climbed off her lap and sat beside her, wrapping his arms around himself as if he had been hit by a sudden chill.
"You don’t know how scary he is..." Karl muttered under his breath, his baby-blue eyes flickering with something close to fear.
Ruby tilted her head. "Why?" She tried to think of Julian’s cold expression this morning, but no matter how distant he had seemed, she couldn’t picture him as scary. "He wasn’t violent or anything... He’s still calm and gentle. I can’t imagine him being ruthless."
Karl turned his head slowly, staring at her like she had just said the most idiotic thing in the world. "Because I have seen it!" His voice was dead serious.
Ruby raised a brow. "But I’ve never seen you guys fight."
Karl let out a deep sigh before looking at her with a mocking smirk. "You would know... if you weren’t an alcoholic when you married us."
Ruby’s face stiffened.
"Hmph! Stupid wife," Karl huffed, crossing his arms with a smug look.
Ruby’s eyes twitched dangerously. "Call me ’stupid wife’ again, and I’ll make you write the alphabet a hundred of times." Her voice was calm, but the threat in it was clear.
Karl’s mouth fell open. "You stu—" He stopped mid-word, his brain catching up just in time. His eyes darted to hers, filled with pure horror.
"You... uh... Precious wife! Yes! Lovely, most amazing wife! Don’t do that!" He blurted out, scrambling back as if the mere thought of punishment had sent a chill down his spine. His baby-blue eyes widened, hands clamping together as if preparing to beg for mercy.
"That’s a good ghost!" Ruby smirked, patting Karl’s head like he was an obedient pet. "Now, tell me—why did you say that about Julian?"
Karl puffed out his cheeks, clearly unhappy with being treated like a child, but he let it slide. He leaned back slightly, tapping his fingers against his knee as if deciding where to begin.
"Because..." He exhaled, shaking his head. "Let me tell you about my experience."
The day their marriage was arranged with Ruby, each of the four had different emotions.
Karl was the least happy. Being sold by his own family had left him bitter, but deep down, he still held onto the hope that this marriage would give him a fresh start.
Milo, on the other hand, was the happiest. He had always wanted to marry Ruby. The idea of living with her, calling her his wife, and finally being with the person he had admired since childhood filled him with excitement.
Adrian was content, not because of love, but because marriage meant security—a roof over his head and a place to belong. He didn’t expect much from his wife, but he was willing to give her a chance.
Julian was the most relieved. He was finally escaping his cousin’s household, a place where he was constantly mistreated. If he didn’t cook on time, he was slapped. If he didn’t serve food properly, he was beaten. His cousin Levi used to throw worms in his bed, making him live in fear even while sleeping.
The night before the wedding, Levi had sneered at him, laughing mockingly. "Hahahaha! Your wife isn’t only marrying you! There are three more husbands! Goodness, you deserve this!" His laughter echoed in Julian’s ears.
Julian’s hands clenched into fists, his eyes teary but determined. No, I will fight for my rights in this marriage! I won’t let myself be treated like I was before.
Finally, the wedding day arrived.
The five of them stood together at the ceremony. Their bride, Ruby, looked strange. Her eyes were hazy, her expression blank. She hadn’t even looked at them once. She kept muttering something under her breath, swaying slightly.
The priest conducted the ceremony, and soon, they were declared husbands and wife.
Julian stood stiffly, glaring at Karl, Adrian, and Milo, who were now his rivals.
Karl, sensing Julian’s sharp gaze, bit his finger, trying to hold back his tears. He knew Julian was a tough competitor.
Adrian, being the strongest among them, met Julian’s glare head-on, his dark, emotionless eyes filled with silent challenge.
Milo, however, remained oblivious to the brewing rivalry. He blinked shyly, his cheeks pink from excitement.
—To be continued...🪄