The brothel owner glanced at the ghosts behind Ruby—Julian, Adrian, and Milo. For a second, her polite smile turned sharper, like she was suddenly more interested.
Her gaze lingered a second too long.
"And who might those be?" she asked, her tone playful, but her eyes gleaming like a merchant spotting a rare gem.
Ruby didn’t miss that look.
She turned slightly, throwing a glance over her shoulder at her husbands. Her smile curled at the corner, half-tilted and effortlessly charming but behind it was fire.
"Them?" she said lazily, as if they were barely worth mentioning. "They’re my new toys. Recently bought them for a high price." Her voice dropped slightly, dripping with a sultry confidence. "You know how it is. Couldn’t resist."
The owner let out a loud, rich laugh, clearly amused.
"Hahaha! A witch with fine taste, I see!" she said, eyes still darting over Julian’s gentle face, Adrian’s sculpted jawline, and Milo’s soft, boyish charm.
"Very rare to find such well-kept ones these days."
Julian’s ears turned red. ’her toy?’
Milo blinked rapidly, his face caught between horror and confusion.
Adrian didn’t move, but his eye twitched slightly.
Still, none of them said a word.
They understood Ruby’s game. This wasn’t the time to argue. Not when she was pretending to be a rich, cruel client rather than a wife hunting for her kidnapped husband.
Julian lowered his gaze.
Milo stayed close behind her.
Adrian folded his arms and said nothing, masking the burn in his chest.
As soon as they stepped out of The Mystery & Fun House, the warm sunlight hit their faces but the air still felt heavy from everything they’d just endured.
Ruby kept her back straight until they reached the edge of the alley. Only when the brothel was far behind did she slow her pace, glance at her three husbands walking beside her, and quietly murmur,
Julian blinked, looking up at her. Milo gave a small smile, still a bit pink in the face.
Adrian didn’t say anything, but the tension in his jaw eased slightly.
"I had to say it that way," Ruby continued, her voice low. "If I acted even a little like myself in there, they’d never believe me."
Julian nodded softly.
"Yeah... it’s okay," Milo said with a little shrug, though he was clearly still recovering from being called a toy.
"But please don’t sell us for real, wife."
Ruby snorted softly, then ruffled his hair. "Only for a billion coins."
Milo gasped. "I’m priceless!"
They shared a brief smile, but Ruby’s eyes dimmed again as her stomach growled softly.
That’s when she realized—none of them had eaten since morning. Not even a proper drink.
She immediately turned toward the car.
"Let’s go. You need food. You all kept up with me through everything—we’re not doing anything else until you’ve eaten."
Ruby drove them to the nearest market district, her hands steady on the wheel even as her mind raced with plans for retrieving Karl. After circling around market area, she finally found a small lunch shop tucked near the corner of a shaded street, its wooden sign swinging gently in the breeze.
"Here," she said, parking the car. "It looks clean. Sit. I’ll order."
They sat down at a cozy table outside, under a canopy of red cloth.
Ruby made sure everyone had a proper meal, from warm stew to fresh bread and chilled drinks. She even added a few sweets on the side for Milo, who looked like he needed the comfort.
As they ate, she sat back slightly, watching them.
Her husbands are quiet, loyal, tired.
They hadn’t complained once.
And Ruby told herself again:
She would get Karl back soon even if she had to go through hell to do it.
After lunch, Ruby drove them all back home.
Julian leaned his head against the window, the wind playing gently through his hair. Milo had already dozed off in the backseat, still clutching the small sweet Ruby had tucked in his pocket. Adrian stayed quiet, his arms crossed, but his eyes were constantly flicking toward her—watching her, reading her.
As soon as they stepped inside, Ruby told them firmly, "Rest. No arguments."
They didn’t fight her. Not now. They trusted her.
Once they were settled, she walked back outside, got into her car again, and flew straight toward the Civil Protection Office.
Inside, she laid out everything Jepsi’s words, the brothel owner’s greed, the false promise of a movie role...
The officer behind the desk grew serious as she took notes. Others joined in, asking questions. Their tone changed quickly from polite to urgent.
"We’ll make contact with Kolzz Civil Officers immediately," the lead officer assured her. "But we need full proof before we can raid that place. The moment we have it, we’ll arrive for the arrest."
Ruby nodded once. "I’ll carry out my plan tonight. Be ready."
On her way back, she made a sharp turn toward her office.
Ruby walked past her team’s workstations without a word.
She moved straight to the rack in the corner and paused.
Her fingers brushed past the silks, pastel linens, and showy designs until they stopped on one robe.
Dark. Deep black, almost midnight. Edged with a fine gold border that caught the light like flame.
She folded it neatly and placed it into a simple carry bag.
Then, she headed to the market.
She picked out a silver hairpin shaped like a thin, curved blade—simple but pretty. Next, she chose a small glass bottle of perfume that smelled light and soft, like moonlight and ashes. Finally, she took a plain gold locket in the shape of a heart. It wasn’t shiny or fancy, but that made it even more special.
Once done, Ruby returned home. She let her body rest..just for a little while closing her eyes for a few hours as the sun dipped behind the village skyline.
By 6 PM, she was ready.
—To be continued...🪄