Meanwhile, Ruby had locked herself in her room, pacing back and forth with frustration as she glared at the computer on her desk. Her hands clenched at her sides, and her breath was uneven.
"Calm down, Ruby!" she muttered to herself, shaking her head. "You’re not a child to be throwing tantrums ." She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.
Her eyes darted to a pillow on the bed, and in a fleeting moment of anger, she grabbed it, ready to throw it onto the floor. But as she moved, her foot accidentally nudged the mouse on the edge of the table.
The mouse fell to the ground with a small but sharp sound.
"Wife!" Julian’s panicked voice came from outside the door, louder this time.
Ruby froze,He wasn’t calling her by her name—he was calling her "wife" again.
Biting her lip, Ruby bent down and picked up the fallen mouse carefully, inspecting it for any damage. She let out a small sigh of relief when it seemed fine, placing it back on the her table.
"Wife, is everything okay?" Julian called again, his voice soft but worried.
Ruby glanced at the door and hesitated before responding, her voice calmer now. "It’s fine, Julian. I’m fine."
Outside, Julian let out a quiet breath of relief, but he didn’t leave. He stood by the door, still concerned, while Ruby sat back at her bed, trying to focus on regaining her composure. ’I need to stop letting little things get to me ,’ she thought.
Ruby’s face was still scrunched with irritation, but her eyes gleamed as she stared at the computer. A sly smirk slowly formed on her lips as a thought crossed her mind.
She stood up and opened the door, and there was Milo, standing patiently outside. His honey-brown eyes widened as soon as he saw her.
"Were you waiting for me?" she asked softly, her tone calmer now.
Milo nodded, his expression earnest. "Of course, wife! I wanted to make sure you were okay."
Her heart warmed at his words, and for a moment, her earlier anger felt insignificant. She looked around, her brows furrowing slightly when she didn’t see Julian. He was the one calling me earlier, wasn’t he? Where did he go?
"Wife, are you okay?" Milo’s gentle voice brought her attention back to him. "Don’t be upset just because you didn’t get money. You helped them with a kind heart! That’s what matters, right?"
Ruby raised an eyebrow at him, her lips twitching as if she was about to reply, but Milo continued, his voice growing louder. "And anyway, you still have their computer, right? So why are you sad?"
"I’m not sad anymore," Ruby said with a soft chuckle as she stepped aside to let Milo inside.
"Really?" Milo asked, tilting his head as his honey-brown eyes studied her with doubt.
"Of course," Ruby replied, her smirk returning. "Why would I lie to you? I still haven’t solved their problem yet."
Milo blinked, clearly confused. "Huh?" he asked, glancing at the computer.
Ruby’s smirk widened, but she didn’t elaborate. Milo, however, wasn’t done asking questions. His gaze flickered between her and the glowing screen. "Wife, is this computer yours, or do you have to return it?"
His eyes fixed on the blue screen with its white progress bar slowly inching forward, clearly mesmerized by its glow.
Ruby chuckled again at his innocence. "It’s not mine. I have to return it once I recover their data." She folded her arms, leaning casually against the table.
Milo squinted at the screen as if trying to understand the process. "But... it looks like it’s taking forever. Does it even work properly?"
Ruby laughed softly. "Patience, Milo. It’s working just fine. You can’t rush these things."
Milo pouted, clearly unimpressed with the idea of waiting. "If it’s not yours, then why did they give it to you? Couldn’t they do it themselves?"
Ruby shook her head, amused by his endless curiosity. "They couldn’t. That’s why they needed me. Now, stop worrying about the computer and let me focus, alright?"
Milo nodded reluctantly but stayed close, his gaze still glued to the screen, as if he were hoping to see something magical happen. Ruby, watching him out of the corner of her eye, couldn’t help but feel her earlier frustration melting away. Milo’s presence always had a way of lightening the mood.
Julian stood just a little away from the door, biting his lips as he turned away. His heart felt unusually heavy. He had been waiting outside for Ruby, worrying about her mood and trying to think of how to comfort her.
He’d even gone to the kitchen to get a glass of water, thinking it might help calm her down. But when he returned, he saw the door had already opened. Quietly, without making a sound, he had stopped in his tracks and glanced inside.
What he saw made his chest tighten.
Ruby stood there with Milo, a soft warmth in her eyes as she looked at him. The stress and frustration that had clouded her face earlier seemed to have melted away entirely. She didn’t look tense or upset anymore—she looked... at ease.
Julian’s grip tightened on the glass he held, his knuckles whitening as he turned away again. He didn’t want to admit it, not even to himself, but at this moment, he was jealous of Milo.
That light in her eyes, the smile that played on her lips—he wanted to be the reason for it. Instead, here he was, standing silently on the other side of the door, feeling like a spectator in her life.
His heart ached, the heaviness pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. Jealousy churned in his chest, and his thoughts spiraled. Why can’t I bring her that kind of comfort? Why do I feel so... left out?
—To be continued...🪄