"Wife?? Can you hear us???" Milo’s voice crackled loudly through the communicator.
"Wife!! Can you hear me?!" Julian chimed in, his voice both anxious and excited.
"Is it working??" Karl asked in the background, clearly poking at something, probably trying to grab the device from Julian.
Ruby couldn’t help it—a real, genuine smile bloomed across her face. She held the communicator a little closer to her ear and replied warmly, "I can hear you."
There was a beat of stunned silence on the other end—
And then "AAAHHHHahahahaha!!"
Excited screams exploded from the other side.
"It works!! IT WORKS!!" Milo shouted, his voice full of wonder. "Wife, I can hear your voice! I can’t believe it—I really can hear it!"
Ruby laughed softly, pressing her palm to her cheek, completely overwhelmed by their joy.
Julian chuckled, and Milo giggled like a happy puppy.
Behind her, Jett looked up from his desk, quietly smiling at the way Ruby’s whole face lit up while talking to them. He had never seen that kind of warmth before.
"Wife, we were just trying to see if it worked! But it actually worked... I’m so happy you’re not scammed!" Milo said cheerfully, his voice full of relief and excitement.
Ruby blinked, confused. "Scammed?" she repeated, one brow arching as she leaned back in her chair.
"Yeah!" Milo replied seriously, as if explaining a great mystery. "This small thing—how can it talk without meeting each other? How can it send voice?? I thought maybe someone tricked you! But it really works!"
Ruby covered her mouth to hide her laughter, her eyes crinkling.
"And it even has a snake inside, Wife!" Milo gasped dramatically. "A little snake I can control with my finger—it moves on screen! It’s soooo cool!"
"So proud of you, Milo!" Ruby said between giggles. "The snake didn’t bite you, right?"
"No! Not even once!" Milo replied proudly, like he’d tamed a wild beast.
Julian and Karl were laughing in the background, and even Jett—quietly organizing Ruby’s papers had to bite back a smile.
Ruby shook her head fondly, imagining Milo’s awe at a simple game.
If he saw the kind of games she could make herself someday...
The realistic environments, the characters that moved, talked, felt real...
What would his reaction be then?
Maybe he’d scream even louder.
Jett stood in front of Ruby’s desk, clutching the notebook she’d given him. His eyes were lowered, and his voice was soft, almost hesitant.
"...Miss Ruby, I can’t stay with you anymore," he said, his tone laced with both gratitude and embarrassment. "Your kindness touched my heart, truly. But I... I feel like a burden."
Ruby looked up from her work, her pen pausing mid-air.
Jett continued, nervously fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve. "I’ve been living in your house... taking the space your husbands should have. I didn’t mean to disturb your peace."
Ruby was quiet for a moment, her expression unreadable.
It wasn’t that she wanted to throw him out, no. He had proven himself a capable assistant—smart, polite, willing to learn. Within just two days, he’d memorized schedules, managed communication with vendors, even helped reorganize a few messy systems in the company.
But she understood what he was feeling. The house was already full with love, with chaos, with deep bonds. And he, no matter how kind, had simply... wandered in.
Ruby leaned back in her chair. "Where will you go?" she asked gently.
Jett’s eyes brightened a little. "I made a friend... Ford. He lives nearby with his younger sister. He’s kind and when I asked if I could stay, he said yes. I’ll pay rent and help them around the house."
Ruby gave a slow nod, her gaze softening.
"You’re not a burden, Jett," she said. "You were never a burden. But... if that’s what you want, I’ll support your decision."
Jett bowed slightly, his voice trembling. "Thank you. For everything."
Ruby parked her car outside the modest house, a clean, medium-sized. It wasn’t fancy, but it looked well-kept and safe.
Jett sat beside her in the passenger seat, holding a small cloth bag with a few sets of clothes she had given him. He looked nervous but hopeful, glancing at the house like it was the start of something new.
"I’ll pay you back for everything," he said quietly, his voice almost lost in the hum of the engine. "I promise."
"You don’t have to rush," Ruby replied, her tone soft. "Just focus on standing on your feet. That’s enough for now."
They both stepped out, and as they approached the front, the door opened.
A young ghost with sandy hair—Ford and a Witch about his age, with honey-colored eyes and a high ponytail, stepped out to greet them. Ford offered a polite smile and shook Ruby’s hand, thanking her for the ride and for trusting them.
Ruby exchanged a few words, confirming Jett’s arrangement, and asked them to treat him kindly.
"We will," Ford said with a nod. "My sister and I are glad to have him."
Jett turned to Ruby and bowed slightly, his green eyes shimmering. "Thank you, Miss Ruby... I won’t forget this."
As he turned to walk inside, Ruby’s eyes lingered.
Especially on Ford’s sister.
She had a very distinct look on her face—a wide-eyed, fluttering sort of stare as she looked at Jett. A bit too starry. A bit too interested.
Ruby narrowed her eyes slightly, crossing her arms.
Why do I feel witch’s about to develop a crush? she thought.
Still, she said nothing, just offered a final nod and turned back to her car, whispering under her breath—
"...Better not steal my assistant."
Because from what Ruby had seen lately, this kind of thing was becoming a pattern.
She had already lost two perfectly good workers in the past few months—not because of poor performance, not because of any complaint... but because they got married.
And when she tried to ask if they’d be returning after their little "honeymoon" period, they both—both—had the same excuse:
"We want to focus on our wife and take care of the house."
Ruby could still remember the second guy saying it with a love filed face.
And now, here she was, watching Ford’s sister gaze at Jett like he was some gentle flower she’d found in the forest.
Ruby narrowed her eyes more.
Jett was delicate, hardworking, and quietly sweet. Exactly the kind that got picked up and pampered by lovestruck Witch who suddenly wanted to feed him soup and tuck him in.
"...Tch," Ruby muttered under her breath, getting in the car.
—To be continued...🪄