My five ghostly husbands-Chapter 354 Empty

"It doesn’t itch!" an older witch said, pinching the sleeve between her thumb and finger, her eyes wide with delight. "The ones my family buys every year always make us scratch all day — this feels soft. And look, it folds so small!"

Even better, Ruby had made a few tiny versions for children... bright colors, soft hoods, little tie strings that looked adorable when worn over their simple robes. A small ghost who’d come with his grandmother spun around in a sample coat, giggling when the back flared out like a cape.

The way people’s eyes lit up made all the late nights worth it. By the time the day was done, more than half the visitors were already whispering to each other about when they could buy one for real. She overheard one man say, "I’m going to save up so my whole family can get these — the rain burns our old suits every year."

Ruby tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, her chest warm with pride. She still had to finish the boots, there was so much more to do but seeing people’s eyes sparkle like that made her believe it was all possible.

***

And soon enough, the first fresh batch of fifty raincoats came out just the way Ruby had hoped — the fabric thin but sturdy, the seams smooth and neat, each little hood sewn perfectly to keep the drizzle from slipping down people’s necks. She didn’t waste a single day; she packed them up carefully and delivered them straight to her trusted partner — the same merchant who’d once taken her robes in large quantities and helped her name spread like a warm rumor in the markets.

When the new raincoats finally launched, it felt like the whole town blinked — and they were gone. Every single piece sold out before the week even ended. People lined up to get them for their families — kids tugging at their mothers’ sleeves to get the bright-colored ones, old folks asking for the fancy hooded ones that didn’t itch or make them sweat under their robes.

Back in her small workshop, Ruby’s workers stayed late into the night, cutting fabric, stitching sleeves, steaming the finished coats so they looked fresh and perfect on the racks. The sound of scissors snipping and needles humming filled the rooms well past midnight sometimes but no one complained. Ruby made sure every single one of them was paid properly, their wages fair and honest, with extra if they worked overtime.

It made them proud too, to see people wearing something they had made with their own hands to hear neighbors whisper, "Oh, you got the new raincoat from Ruby’s place, right?" It made the long nights feel like more than just work.

And to boost the raincoat’s popularity even more, Ruby decided she wanted something bigger than just word of mouth — she wanted a large, eye-catching poster that would make people stop in their tracks. Of course, for her model, she picked the one person who was born for drama: Karl.

When she told him about it the night before, Karl had squealed so loudly that Julian had nearly dropped the bowl he was washing. That morning, he was up before the sun, Ruby found him pacing the hallway in his new robe, practicing poses in front of the dusty hallway mirror.

So today, the bright back room of Ruby’s company had been cleared out for the photo shoot. Big windows let in warm morning light that spilled across the clean floor, making everything look fresh and lively. Ruby had even ordered a few simple props — bright umbrellas, cute bags for the kids to make it look more cheerful.

A proper city photographer she’d hired was fussing over the camera, adjusting lights and directing the helpers who smoothed out the backdrop cloth. A few local children stood off to the side in their colorful little raincoats, giggling as they peeked at Karl, who was standing in front of the big cloth background, puffing up like he was the king of raincoats.

Ruby watched him with light smile. He looked so serious about it all, adjusting his sleeves, brushing imaginary lint off his shoulder, turning this way and that to show off the neat seams.

"Wife, look at me!" Karl called, striking a pose with one foot forward, hand on his hip. "Is this handsome enough? Should I smile? Should I look away, like a lonely prince in the rain?"

Ruby burst out laughing, shaking her head. "Karl, just be natural! We want people to think ’Oh, I want to wear that too!’ Not ’What’s that dramatic ghost doing on a poster?’"

Karl pouted, but the kids around him started copying his poses, which made him laugh too. He softened up, smiling brightly as the photographer called, "Hold it! Perfect! One more, turn your head this way — good, good!"

Ruby stood back and watched it all. Karl’s grin, the children’s shy giggles, the simple but beautiful raincoats catching the soft window light. She could already picture it — the big poster hanging at the market’s entrance.

But as the morning stretched on, Ruby’s smile began to fade just a little. She stood off to the side near the stacked rolls of extra fabric, arms folded, her eyes following each click of the camera — Karl Posing, the children trying to copy his poses, the props all lined up just right.

It all looked fine — the lights were good, the coats were bright and neat, Karl’s grin was wide enough to catch anyone’s eye. But something about it felt... flat. Like a pretty stage with no heartbeat behind it.

The photographer, a polite witch from the city with tidy black hair, lowered her camera for the third time and sighed through her nose. "Miss Ruby... the frames are clean, the colors are good, but..." She hesitated, glancing at Karl, who was busy showing one child how to puff up his cheeks for a funny pose. "It feels... empty. There’s no real soul in it."

—To be continued...🪄

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