My five ghostly husbands

He glanced toward the entrance again, hoping someone would appear, but no one came.

Karl gritted his teeth and pulled out his phone, tapping the screen fast. "Come on, come on," he muttered under his breath, trying again and again to reach someone. The screen blinked weakly, but no one answered.

"Stupid... stupid," he hissed, hitting the side of the phone with his palm.

The ghosts sitting near him turned their heads, staring. Some blinked in confusion, others whispered softly to one another, wondering what he was doing with that strange shiny device. A few even leaned forward to get a better look, which only annoyed Karl more. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Mind your own business," he muttered, shooting them a glare.

A small ghost child toddled closer, tilting his head curiously. "Mister, what’s that?" he asked, pointing at the phone with wide eyes.

Karl forced a tight smile, trying not to yell. "A thing that’s supposed to work," he said shortly. "Now go play somewhere else."

The child blinked and ran off, and Karl pressed his palm against his forehead, sighing deeply.

He could see Ruby from where he sat, her red robe glowing in the holy firelight, her eyes steady though he could tell she was uneasy. The priestess’s voice hummed through the air, her soft chants mixing with the crackle of fire.

Karl’s chest tightened. He wanted to storm up there, grab Ruby’s hand, and take her home right now. But he couldn’t. Not yet. The holy fire was already lit, and if he disrupted the ritual before it ended, the flame might turn against Ruby.

His fists trembled on his lap, his jaw clenched. Milo, Adi, Jules, where are you? he thought desperately, his heart pounding faster.

Then suddenly, a faint gust of wind slipped in from the open doors, cold and sharp, carrying a strange energy that made the holy fire flicker. Karl looked up at once, his eyes narrowing.

The hall doors opened wide, and everyone turned in surprise. The priestess stopped her chanting, and the holy fire flickered softly.

Julian and Adrian walked inside. Julian wore a clean green robe that made him look calm and strong, while Adrian’s royal blue robe gave him an air of quiet authority. Behind them came a group of civil officers and lawyers holding papers and scrolls.

Karl’s eyes brightened. "Jules! Brother Adi!" he shouted, standing up so fast that the chair behind him fell. Ruby turned immediately, her heart filling with relief. She already knew what this was about. Adrian and Julian had finally gathered the proof she was waiting for.

Madame Shades frowned. "What are you doing here?" she asked sharply. "Can’t you see we are in the middle of a sacred ceremony?"

Adrian walked forward slowly. "That’s exactly why we came," he said coldly. "This ceremony should never happen."

The crowd became quiet, everyone watching.

Julian stood beside Ruby and said in a clear voice, "Officers, this is the witch responsible for the death of more than five hundred people. Her chemical plant caused the explosion years ago. My wife’s parents were among the victims."

People in the hall gasped. Madame Shades’ smile vanished. "That’s a lie!" she snapped, though her voice trembled. "You can’t accuse me like that without proof!"

Adrian raised a scroll. "We have all the proof we need," he said. "We found the documents and safety reports from the factory. They all have your signature. You ignored the warnings and caused the disaster that took so many lives."

The officer stepped forward and read from the scroll. "Records from Shades Industrial Plant confirm illegal materials and broken safety seals, all under the command of Madame Elora Shades."

The hall fell silent.

Ruby’s eyes darkened. "So, you finally got caught," she said quietly. "I already knew what you did, but now the whole world will know too."

Madame Shades’ face twisted in anger. "You! I gave your parents everything—money, fame, position—and this is how you repay me?"

Julian spoke firmly. "You took everything from her, not gave it. You killed her parents and drugged her so she could never remember the truth."

Gasps spread through the crowd. Some people looked shocked, others angry.

Two officers stepped forward. "Madame Elora Shades, you are under arrest for murder, corruption, and the use of forbidden materials."

She tried to pull free, but the officers held her arms tight. "You can’t do this to me!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "Do you know who I am?"

Adrian’s voice was calm and cold. "We know exactly who you are. And now, so does everyone else."

Louis looked pale. "M-Mom?" he whispered, stepping back, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Madame Shades glared at Ruby, her eyes full of hate. "You should have stayed quiet. I’ll never forgive you for this!"

Ruby looked her straight in the eye. "I stopped being scared of you long ago," she said.

The officers took Madame Shades away as the hall filled with murmurs.

Karl rushed to Ruby’s side, his eyes wet. "Wife, it’s over now," he said softly, his voice trembling.

Julian smiled faintly. "You were brave, wife. You faced her when no one else could."

Ruby nodded slowly, her eyes glistening. "It’s not about bravery," she said quietly. "It’s about ending what she started."

The holy fire burned softly, then turned into calm white smoke. The crowd knew the truth now, and Ruby’s heart finally felt light.

As Madame Shades was dragged away by the officers, the hall was filled with loud murmurs and whispers. Everyone was shocked, but the most pitiful scene was of Louis, who stood frozen near the stage.

His round face had gone pale, and his hands shook as he watched his mother being taken away in chains. "M-Mom... wait... where are they taking you?" he cried, stumbling forward. "I didn’t do anything! Please don’t go!"

The officers didn’t answer. They pulled Madame Shades outside while she shouted curses and threats until her voice faded in the distance.

Louis fell to his knees, tears running down his chubby cheeks. "Mom! Please! Don’t leave me alone!" he cried helplessly, his voice cracking. The confident tone he always used was gone; now he just sounded like a scared child.

A few of Madame Shades’ relatives, who had also been in the hall, quickly came forward. They looked embarrassed and ashamed. One of them, an older witch, put a hand on his shoulder. "Louis, come with us," she said softly. "It’s over now. You need to come home."

Louis didn’t argue. He just nodded weakly, his lips trembling. He looked at Ruby once, but there was no arrogance in his eyes anymore, only confusion and regret. "I... I didn’t know anything," he said quietly, wiping his tears. "I didn’t want to marry you... Mom made me."

Ruby didn’t say anything. She just looked at him calmly, her heart feeling a strange mix of pity and relief.

Karl folded his arms, glaring at Louis. "Then you should have spoken earlier instead of running around calling her ’wife,’" he muttered.

Julian sighed softly. "Let him go. He’s not our enemy now."

Louis lowered his head, still sobbing, as his relatives helped him up. He kept crying as they led him out of the hall.

By the time he disappeared through the doors, the noise in the hall had quieted. Everyone knew the truth now. The wedding was over, the lies were broken, and the name of Madame Shades would never again hold power over anyone.

To be continued... 🪄