"You..." Adrian called her, his voice wavering as he struggled with what to say next. He didn’t know what to call her—stupid wife, like Karl joked, or just simply... wife. The word felt foreign, almost too personal for him.
His handsome face was expressionless, but only he knew the storm of feelings swirling inside. He was surprised, happy, and a little bit scared. He had never had a real home before, and this sudden shift was unsettling. Yet at the same time, a part of him worried that everything was temporary, a fleeting comfort that could vanish at any moment.
He shouldn’t trust her.
His mind warned him, whispering doubts, telling him not to trust her too easily. After all, trust was dangerous—it could break as quickly as it was built.
"You..." he repeated, his voice softer this time, and he noticed her red eyes looking at him, waiting patiently, as if she knew he was struggling to find the words.
"Dinner is ready," Suddenly Julian called, as Milo carefully arranged the dishes on the dining table. Ruby smiled, standing up eagerly. She didn’t know how to cook, so the thought of having someone prepare homemade, organic food for her felt like a true blessing in this life.
Julian had always loved cooking. Growing up, his aunt’s family constantly had him in the kitchen, whipping up meals for everyone. Most of his time was spent fulfilling their requests, no matter how inconvenient. If his cousin wanted a snack at midnight, Julian would be woken up to prepare it.
He remembered, even as a young boy of six, sneaking bites from the kitchen counter while his father was cooking. But he wasn’t as sneaky as he thought—his father had caught him in the act and tugged his ear playfully, pretending to scold him.
His mother, who had two husbands, always doted on Julian, especially since he was her only child. His other father didn’t have children, which made Julian even more precious in their household. His mother would scoop him up and promise him anything he wanted, saying, "Don’t scold him—he’s my little star."
Remembering those warm, chaotic moments made Julian smile softly. Now, sharing his cooking with Ruby and their new little family felt like finding a part of home again.
After dinner, Ruby went to her room. She wasn’t feeling sleepy. She closed the door behind her but paused when she noticed her window was wide open.
The red moon hung low, casting an eerie glow that bathed the room in crimson light. Fog drifted in from outside, curling around the twisted trees. She glanced toward the window, her heart pounding with a mix of fascination and unease.
She quickly opened the door and walked over to the window. Cold air brushed against her face—a strange, refreshing chill that sent a shiver down her spine.
It felt both beautiful and creepy at the same time.
And completely unreal.
She climbed into bed, pulling out her notebook to start planning.
She had already spent around 120 gems on furniture and essentials... and about 150 gems to buy this house. Another 200 gems were set aside to pay off debt.
That left her with 230 gems.
She sighed, jotting down her budget. She’d use 30 gems as the starting capital for her clothing business, hoping it would be enough to get things going.
The remaining 200 gems would stay as her savings to keep the household running.
The sounds of her husbands talking drifted from outside, but Ruby stayed focused, scribbling down her plans.
For starters, she decided to make two sample robes. But she knew that making robes wasn’t enough—without marketing, nothing would sell. She needed a strategy to get her designs noticed.
Her main target would be witches and ghosts, particularly adults. She’d have to tailor everything around their tastes and preferences, from colors to styles.
"Think, Ruby..." she murmured to herself, envisioning the perfect robes that might catch their eye. Maybe darker shades with enchanted fabrics...something both comfortable and elegant. She felt a small spark of excitement.
Ruby was pretty skilled with her drawings, so she first sketched a simple outline of a witch as her model. Tapping her pen against her lip in thought, she began drawing her vision for the robes.
She carefully drew the flow of the fabric, adding notes beside it about the colors she’d use—deep greens, rich purples, and maybe a touch of silver thread. Embroidery was a luxury here, but it would make the robes stand out, so she designed delicate embroidery along the edges with unique patterns that added elegance without being too flashy.
Instead of a traditional belt, she created an alternative design—a draping, layered look that hugged the waist in an effortlessly stylish way. She smiled, feeling the satisfaction of seeing her ideas take shape on paper.
Ruby thought about adding a unique touch to the sleeves, maybe something dramatic or intricate, but every time she sketched a new idea, it didn’t look right. She tried puffy sleeves, then slim ones with a bit of lace, but nothing seemed to click. She erased each attempt, frustration bubbling up as her mind seemed to hit a creative block.
With a sigh, she put her notebook down and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to shake off the annoyance. She took a deep breath, hoping that a little break would help ideas come more naturally later. Maybe inspiration would strike when she least expected it.
Ruby climbed down from her Cloud bed, feeling thirsty. As she walked out of her room, she noticed that they had already cleaned up all the decorations. They’re not bad at all, She thought, a little surprised by how productive they were, while she herself was too lazy to do household chores.
The lights were off, but the living room light was on. She walked toward the kitchen, a bit sleepy. They didn’t have a fridge, but there was an earthen pot filled with cool water. She grabbed a glass, filled it, and gulped down the cold water.
After setting the glass back on the counter, she turned around, only to suddenly crash into someone.
—To be continued...🪄