"Don’t tell you all ca here to say you can’t pay," he sneered, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorfra. His gaze shifted from Ruby to Karl, then to Adrian, a playful yet mocking look on his face.
Ruby raised an eyebrow, not in the mood for his gas. "Actually, we’re here because we’re ready to pay," she replied, holding her head high.
Sam’s eyes widened, then he burst out laughing—a loud, mocking sound that echoed around them. "Hahaha! Don’t make laugh... You all really think you can pay?" His laughter was almost maniacal, and Ruby’s irritation spiked.
Damn it! He was so annoying.
"Stop laughing!" Karl snapped, his tone tight with frustration. "We’re here to pay, so just take the money! We’ve got things to do."
Sam’s laughter abruptly faded, replaced by a cold, sneering expression. "You? A little thief trying to talk back to ?" His voice was sharp, causing Karl to flinch a little from the intensity of his gaze.
But Adrian wasn’t backing down. He took a step forward, eting Sam’s cold look with one of his own. "Don’t talk to him like that," Adrian said Coldy, his voice low but firm.
Sam snorted, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, defending your little partner, huh?" He sneered, looking between the two of them with disdain. "I suppose birds of a feather really do flock together. And don’t think I don’t know your little tricks—I didn’t invite you all in for a reason. I wouldn’t want anything mysteriously disappearing from my house." His tone was smug, dripping with sarcasm.
"Are you done?" Ruby asked, her tone casual but edged with irritation. She sighed dramatically, pulling out her purse and taking out a crisp one note. She waved it in front of Sam’s face, raising an eyebrow.
"See this? It’s money. Now take it and stop with the nonsense—I don’t have all day," she said, grabbing his hand and placing the note in it with a forced smile. "There, you got what you wanted, right?"
Sam’s smug look faltered as he stared at the money in his hand, not expecting her to be so blunt.
Ruby’s fake smile didn’t fade as she leaned in a bit. "And a bit of advice—your mouth runs way too much. Learn to control it before you land yourself in trouble, alright?" With that, she turned to Karl and Adrian, who were both staring at her in stunned face.
"Let’s go," she said smoothly, walking off without a second glance, leaving Sam standing in the doorway, speechless.
After they walked away from Sam’s place, Ruby felt a pang of frustration in her chest. She’d barely earned that money, and it was already gone! The way it slipped through her fingers was maddening.
"So, where’s our next destination?" she asked, glancing at Karl and Adrian, noticing their blank expressions.
"It’s farther out, in a more secluded area," Adrian replied, and Ruby nodded, letting them lead the way while she followed.
They walked in silence for about ten minutes. The village grew quieter, the houses beca sparse, and twisted trees lined the path, their dark branches casting long shadows over the dirt road. Finally, they stopped in front of a large mansion. Ruby took it in, her brow lifting slightly.
The mansion wasn’t as grand as the palaces and estates she had in her past life, but it was still impressive by the standards of this world.
The old iron gate stood before them, tall and weathered, covered in patches of rust that made it look like it could fall apart any mont.
Beyond the gate, the mansion stood with cracked and worn stone walls. Old, twisted trees surrounded it, their branches reaching toward the house as if to guard its secrets. Ivy had grown up the walls, wrapping around broken windows and spreading over the roof.
The mansion’s windows were dark and narrow, like empty eyes watching them from the shadows.
The wooden door was large and damaged, with a brass knocker shaped like a twisted gargoyle. It looked like a place people talked about in whispers, full of stories about ghosts and shadows hiding inside.
Ruby’s face was hard to read as she looked at the mansion. The old, creepy building gave off a strange feeling, but all she could think about was how outdated and gloomy it seed. She couldn’t understand why people in this world liked dark, scary houses.
’I swear, when I get my own place, I’ll design it how I want,’ she thought, shaking her head. ’It’ll be bright, modern, and full of life—nothing like this depressing old house.’
She pictured her dream ho: walls filled with warm light, clean lines, spacious rooms, and colors that made you feel good. It wouldn’t just be a place to live; it would make a statent. A house that said comfort, style, and a break from the usual gloomy hos.
Ruby couldn’t wait to show everyone how a little brightness could change the whole idea of ho.
"Enough of this," she mumbled.
"What?" Karl looked at Ruby, raising his brows, clearly confused by her mutterings.
"Nothing," Ruby replied quickly, rolling her eyes at him.
Karl made a face when she rolled her eyes at him. anwhile, Adrian was looking around the mansion carefully.
They walked inside, and their footsteps echoed in the quiet of the mansion. Ruby felt the heavy air around her, making the place feel strange and still.
They rang the bell, and the sound echoed even longer than expected. Diiiiing Doooong—the deep, drawn-out chi made Ruby shiver slightly.
After what felt like forever, the door slowly opened. Standing there was a figure who looked like the butler of the house. His face was pale, his expression unreadable, and his eyes seed empty, like he was just going through the motions of life without any real purpose.
"Hello, I am the butler of Shades Mansion. How may I assist you?" he said in a voice so monotonous that it could’ve belonged to a machine, not a person.
Ruby narrowed her eyes as she observed him. Sothing about his presence made her feel even more uncomfortable. She straightened up and spoke clearly, trying to push aside the strange feeling that was starting to creep up her spine.
"Is Louis here? We’re here to pay off his debt," she said calmly.
The butler didn’t flinch or show any reaction to her statent. "Young Master Louis is in his room. Please co inside and wait on the sofa. I will inform him of your arrival." His voice remained as lifeless as ever.
Ruby exchanged a glance with Adrian and Karl. After a mont of silent deliberation, she nodded. "Let’s go," she said, stepping into the mansion.
—To be continued...🪄
Reviews
All reviews (0)