Because another problem was waiting for her.
One that couldn’t be solved with slaps, arrests, or breakdowns.
Only 13 days left until the Diamond Moon Festival.
And she wasn’t prepared at all.
Ruby felt a tug on her arm.
She turned her head and found Karl still standing there, staring at her.
His face was a little dirty, his big eyes still watery from his earlier ’emotional breakdown,’ and his fluffy hair was a complete mess. His robe had stains from the dirt where he had thrown himself onto the ground, sobbing dramatically.
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "What’s wrong?"
Karl’s lips tightened into a thin line.
She was really asking what’s wrong?!
Had she already forgotten?!
When Levi was crying in front of the officers, acting like a helpless victim—who do you think saved the day?!
If he hadn’t given his ’very emotional’ performance, sobbing, wailing, throwing himself onto the floor, wouldn’t the officers have melted in sympathy for Levi?!
Did she not appreciate his outstanding performance?!
The more he thought about it, the more unhappy he felt.
His eyes darkened, his cheeks puffing slightly.
Then, in a low mutter—just loud enough for her to hear—
And before Ruby could react, Karl spun around and ran off to his room.
She stood there, completely baffled.
Adrian was in a great mood as he walked into the house, carrying a bag filled with food.
He had just received his hard-earned salary, and the first thing he thought of was bringing something home for everyone—even Ruby.
When he placed the food on the table, Milo’s eyes sparkled with excitement, Julian smiled softly, and even Karl looked intrigued.
They all gathered around the dining table, eager to taste what Adrian had brought.
Ruby picked up one of the purplish potatoes, its crispy golden edges still warm. It had been made into a special dish with flour, served with a unique sauce that was both tangy and rich in flavor.
She took a bite and instantly, her expression changed.
"Damn. This is actually good."
As they all dug in, enjoying the meal, Milo suddenly spoke up.
His voice was filled with emotion, his round eyes glistening as he held a piece of potato between his fingers.
"Brother Adrian... I never imagined peaceful days ." His voice softened. "Where everything is fine... we have a home... and we don’t have to run to public toilets nearby... or worry about food anymore..."
A quiet wave of nostalgia passed over the table.
Julian smiled, his blue eyes warm as he muttered, "We’ve come a long way."
Adrian’s gaze softened. He knew exactly what Milo meant. Their life had been unstable before—constantly running, struggling, and never knowing if they would have a roof over their heads if something happened to their slum house.
But now things were different.
Everyone continued eating, but Karl sat silently, his expression slowly shifting.
He felt happy for Adrian.
But deep down, a strange feeling crept up inside him.
Adrian worked. He earned money. He brought food home.
Meanwhile, Karl did nothing.
He didn’t cook. He didn’t clean. He didn’t have a job.
For the first time, he started feeling... useless.
But before he could dwell on it further—Milo turned to Adrian, eyes wide with excitement.
"Brother Adi! You don’t know what happened today!"
Adrian raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of water. "Oh?"
Milo nodded eagerly. "You won’t believe it!"
Adrian leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes fondly watching Milo, who was practically bouncing in his seat.
Then, with excitement, Milo began to tell him everything.
From the moment they reported Levi to the Civil Protection Force to the moment he was arrested.
Adrian listened carefully, his dark eyes sharp with focus as Milo excitedly told every detail.
When Milo finally finished, Adrian let out a small scoff, shaking his head.
"Tsk... he was nothing but trouble. Thankfully, we got rid of him."
His voice was calm, but there was an underlying edge to it.
The whole thing had been far too close.
It was crazy how Levi had almost succeeded in trapping Julian in his web of lies.
How he had calculated every detail so carefully.
From drugging Ruby to setting up the perfect scene, making sure that everyone who witnessed it would believe his version of events.
How he had manipulated people, twisting the story to make himself look like the victim.
And worst of all how convincing he had been.
"He’s vicious," Adrian muttered, rubbing his fingers together thoughtfully.
The table fell into a brief silence.
Because they all knew this wasn’t over.
Levi might have been arrested, but his last words still rang in their minds.
"I am just a bottom person in this whole conspiracy... You don’t even know who is controlling everything..."
That meant someone bigger, someone more dangerous, was behind all of this.
Ruby tapped her fingers against the table, her red eyes thoughtful.
"We need to be careful."
Julian nodded in agreement. "Yeah."
Milo shuddered. "I don’t want another Levi-level disaster."
Karl, who had been silent, suddenly huffed, crossing his arms. "If another idiot like him shows up, I’m throwing them into a river before they can even open their mouth."
Adrian spoke expressionslessly. "I’ll help."
For now Levi was gone.
It was still lurking in the shadows.
The morning was peaceful But soon, a knock on the door disturbed the quiet atmosphere.
Ruby opened it and saw Roman and Elias standing there, holding big bags.
Their faces were bright, excited but also slightly tired.
Ethan didn’t come?" Ruby asked as she helped them inside, motioning for them to take a seat on the sofa.
"No," Elias said, shaking his head. "He’s taking care of Nono and Leo. And his shop has been really busy these days."
Ruby nodded in understanding. "Alright," she said as she sat opposite them.
Leaning against the armrest, she exhaled deeply. "Sorry, I’ve been really busy lately. I haven’t had time to contact a lawyer to draw up the contract yet."
But instead of looking disappointed, both of them shook their heads.
Rowan’s face turned serious as he placed one of the bags on the coffee table.
"It’s alright, Miss Ruby." His voice was steady, respectful. "We didn’t come here for that."
—To be continued...🪄