CHAPTER 436: CHAPTER 436 MARRIAGE PROPOSAL

Julian stepped aside slowly, though every part of him wanted to slam the door shut. Madame Shades entered first, her robe sweeping across the floor, her cunning smile never leaving her face as her sharp eyes scanned the room. Behind her waddled Fat Louis, but he wasn’t the same swaggering bully they remembered. Dressed neatly in a black robe that actually suited his heavy frame, he kept his head lowered, his gaze lingering shyly on Ruby in a way that made Julian’s chest tighten uneasily.

Ruby frowned the moment she saw them, her eyes narrowing slightly, but she rose from her seat out of courtesy. Karl, on the other hand, nearly shot up from his place, his fists clenched at the sight of Fat Louis. Memories of that awful day when the poisoned cookies had left both him and Adrian doubled over came flooding back, and his face darkened with anger. Adrian too set his pen down, his sharp gaze immediately fixed on Madame Shades, his expression unreadable but edged with suspicion.

The silence was broken by Madame Shades herself, her voice dripping with confidence. "Are we not welcome?" she asked smoothly, her smile tugging wider as she glanced at Julian.

Julian forced his lips into something like a polite smile, though it came out twisted. "Ah... yes. Please, come in," he said reluctantly, his tone flat. His stomach churned. He didn’t trust her, not one bit.

Ruby’s voice was calm but cool. "Sit down then."

At that moment, Milo appeared, his arms carefully holding a tray with two glasses of water. "Here," he said softly, offering them to the guests.

Fat Louis took a glass and, to everyone’s surprise, gave a small nod. "Thank you," he muttered.

Milo smiled, not sensing the tension in the room, but Karl’s eyes narrowed sharply. His lips pressed into a line as he muttered under his breath, "Since when did this hateful ghost become polite?"

The air grew tighter.

"What are you doing here?" Karl asked bluntly, his voice rising with anger. He didn’t bother hiding the hostility in his tone.

Madame Shades tilted her head slightly, resting her hands on her knees as she leaned forward. "We’re here for something important," she said smoothly, her cunning eyes glinting.

Ruby crossed her arms, her expression guarded. "Important enough to walk into my house uninvited?"

Madame Shades’ smile didn’t falter, her eyes shining with a confidence that made the room feel heavier. Across from her, Adrian’s expression darkened, his brows furrowed ever so slightly. He didn’t move, didn’t speak yet, but the quiet coldness in his gaze was enough to make the unease grow stronger.

"Okay," Madame Shades said, lifting her chin, "I will be straightforward." She clasped her hands together with a practiced grace, her voice carrying the tone of someone who believed her words were a gift. "We came here with an offer. My Louis has never liked any witch for marriage. None of them caught his heart. But when I asked about Ruby, well, he became shy. So of course, as a responsible mother, I came here myself with a marriage proposal." She smiled broadly, showing perfect teeth. "Do you know, my Louis even lost ten grams of weight over this marriage? He’s serious."

Her words hung in the air like poison.

Ruby’s breath caught, her body going still as her eyes widened in shock. For a moment she wondered if she had misheard her, but the charming smile on Madame Shades’ face told her she hadn’t. Ruby’s hands clenched at her sides, her heart pounding.

Across from her, Karl’s face turned red with fury. His entire body tensed as if he were about to leap forward, but before he could explode, Julian caught his sleeve and gave him a sharp look, silently begging him to hold back. Karl bit his lip hard, his jaw trembling, but he stayed in place, his eyes burning.

Milo, standing near the table, stared at Madame Shades with wide eyes. His lips pressed together, his usually innocent face clouded with an expression that was rare for him: displeasure. He shifted uncomfortably, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

Adrian, though quiet, radiated a dangerous anger. His pen, still on the notebook before him, snapped cleanly in half under the pressure of his grip. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes stayed locked on Madame Shades, cold and sharp, a silent warning in them.

Even Julian, usually the gentle one, couldn’t mask his anger. His jaw tightened as he forced himself to stay composed, though his fingers dug so tightly into the towel in his hand that the fabric twisted. His eyes shifted to Ruby, soft with worry, but when they flicked back to Madame Shades, they carried a restrained fury.

The whole room felt like it was seconds away from bursting, yet Madame Shades only sat there with that same confident smile, as though she had delivered the most generous gift in the world. And beside her, Fat Louis shifted shyly in his seat, his heavy frame hunched, his gaze still fixed on Ruby in a way that made Julian’s stomach twist with unease.

Fat Louis shifted in his seat, his big hands fidgeting over the glass Milo had given him. His cheeks were red, his eyes darting once toward Ruby and then down to the floor, as if he couldn’t bear the weight of everyone’s stares. Finally, he cleared his throat, his voice awkward but filled with a strange determination.

"My... my friend told me," he began slowly, his eyes still refusing to meet anyone else’s, "that Ruby is beautiful. And... and that she will soon be rich, just like my mom. So... I like her." His words stumbled, clumsy, but then he dared to lift his gaze just a little, his eyes landing on Ruby’s face.

The moment he really looked at her, he blushed even harder, his round face turning crimson. "And now... seeing her after a long time... she’s even more gorgeous than I remembered last time," he muttered, his lips twitching into a shy smile.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Ruby’s expression froze in disbelief, her lips parting slightly. Her husbands, however, reacted like a storm breaking loose.

To be continued... 🪄