My five ghostly husbands-Chapter 203 A Life They Had Only Dreamed Of

Before Ruby could even think of a way to assert her claim over Karl, a new customer entered the shop with loud enthusiasm.

"Miss Rubyyyyyyyy!"

Pillu’s bright voice filled the store, breaking through the tension Ruby had been feeling.

She turned, her irritation momentarily fading, and smiled at him.

"Pillu, you came!" she greeted.

"Of course! I told you I’d buy from your shop!" He grinned, stepping inside with clear excitement.

His eyes roamed over the robes, nodding in approval.

"Wow! Miss Ruby, I heard you designed every robe yourself! These all look amazing! I could pick any one of them with my eyes closed and still get something incredible!"

He meant it, too—there was no hesitation as he selected three robes, holding them up with appreciation.

Ruby, watching him, smiled softly before asking, "Isn’t your wife coming home today?"

The Diamond Moon Festival was one of the biggest celebrations of the year—most families reunited for at least a short break.

Pillu’s smile dimmed slightly.

"Sadly, no... she didn’t come back." He sighed, shaking his head. "She only comes home once a year..."

Ruby could see the flicker of sadness in his eyes, even as he tried to brush it off.

She didn’t push further. Instead, she simply said, "That must be hard."

Pillu exhaled, forcing a small laugh. "Yeah, but what can I do? Work keeps her busy. I just focus on my own stuff."

Despite his casual words, Ruby could tell—he missed her.

But even in his own sadness, he was still here, supporting her shop.

That alone made Ruby’s heart warm a little.

"I’ll make sure you get the best ones, then." She smiled.

He selected three robes and went toward the counter.

Ruby smiled warmly, taking the robes from him to wrap them neatly as she counted. ’You’re a special customer, so for three robes, you only need to pay 25 coins.

Pillu shook his head immediately. "No, no! Don’t give me a discount just because I’m your close family friend. I’m just happy to support you."

Before Ruby could argue, he handed her thirty coins.

She frowned slightly. "No, your total is only 27 coins."

But Pillu stubbornly refused to take the extra coins back.

"Alright, alright," Ruby relented with a small chuckle.

Then, Pillu let out a sigh, glancing toward the crowd outside. ’Are you planning to send your husbands to explore the fair? I’m alone! My best friends are joining me later, but I came early just to shop at your store."

Karl, who was relaxing comfortably in his chair, casually waved a hand. "Milo, Julian, Brother Adi—why don’t you take a tour of the fair with Brother pillu?"

Ruby nodded in agreement. "Yes, go ahead."

Julian, Milo, and Adrian stood up, ready to follow Pillu outside.

"Wait."

Ruby’s voice stopped them.

They turned back to look at her, a little confused.

Ruby walked toward them, handing Julian thirty coins.

"Take some money," she said simply. "Buy anything you like. And bring back some cool drinks and snacks for us."

For a moment, they just stared at her.

Julian’s eyes widened in surprise.

Milo and Adrian looked just as shocked.

Thirty coins.

It might not be a fortune to others, but to them...

It meant something.

It meant more than Ruby probably even realized.

Because once, they never even saw this amount of money in an entire year.

Their entire household had barely run on a few coins at a time.

There were nights they had gone to sleep hungry, nights where they had to ration scraps of food.

And now?

Now, they were being handed money freely to enjoy themselves, to buy whatever they wanted, without worrying about survival.

Milo’s throat felt tight, but he grinned and grabbed Julian’s arm. "Let’s go!"

Pillu chuckled and led the way, taking them toward the bustling festival.

Milo walked with his eyes bright, looking at the festival in a completely new way.

For the past two years, he had only come here to beg.

The only reason he had even stepped into the festival was to ask strangers for money, to scrape by for another day.

But now?

Now, he was here to celebrate.

Now, he had money in his pocket..not for survival, but for enjoyment.

He felt light, free.

His wife had changed everything.

Julian was just as quiet, holding onto the coins carefully.

His heart ached a little.

Not out of sadness but because this moment was something he had never thought he would experience.

To walk into a festival and have the ability to buy something...not just look at things longingly and turn away.

To know that he wasn’t struggling anymore.

He wasn’t just surviving.

He was living.

Adrian was the most silent of all.

As they moved through the festival, he watched the happy families, the carefree children, the well-dressed merchants and for the first time, he didn’t feel bitter.

For years, he had envied others.

For years, he had resented seeing people celebrate, knowing that for him, every single day was about survival.

Every night, when he had laid down to sleep, his only thought was whether he would have food the next day.

Only he knew how much stress he had carried.

Only he knew how tiring it was to live every day in fear of hunger, of debt, of being completely forgotten.

But now?

Now, he had a home.

He had Milo, Karl, and Julian—brothers who had become his family.

And Ruby...

Adrian exhaled slowly, looking down at the coins in his hand.

He didn’t know what to say about her.

She was the reason he was standing here now, feeling this way.

She had changed their lives—his life more than she even realized.

And for the first time, Adrian allowed himself to relax.

Maybe, just maybe, he could finally stop worrying about tomorrow.

🪄

Ruby leaned slightly against the counter, watching Karl with mild curiosity. The festival was in full swing outside—people laughing, shopping, and admiring handmade crafts from the opposite stalls. Yet, Karl sat comfortably inside, completely uninterested in stepping out.

"You really don’t want to go outside and see the fair? Maybe do some shopping?" she asked, tilting her head.

Karl barely glanced up. "No." His voice was soft, almost distracted. "Anyway, I’ve been to plenty of festivals before."

Ruby shrugged. "Alright, suit yourself."

For a moment, there was silence.

Then—

"Wife."

—To be continued...🪄

R𝑒ad lat𝒆st chapt𝒆rs at f(r)eew𝒆bnov𝒆l.com Only