My five ghostly husbands-Chapter 452 Conformation

LThe heavy door creaked open, revealing a tall, middle-aged witch with tired, proud features. Her hair was silver white, tied loosely at the back, and her deep blue eyes still carried the arrogance of someone used to being obeyed. But the faint wrinkles on her face told another story—years of bitterness and envy carved into her skin.

When she saw who stood at her doorstep, her expression froze, then twisted into disbelief. Her sharp eyes landed on Adrian first, and her voice broke through the morning air like a whip.

"YOU!" she shouted, her hand tightening around the doorframe. "What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you never to leave Ruby’s side?"

Her tone was filled with outrage, but beneath it was a flicker of fear—one she tried to hide behind authority.

Adrian’s face stayed cold. He didn’t move or blink. "You still talk like you have a right to order me around," he said, his voice calm, but the chill in it made the air heavier.

Clara’s jaw clenched. "How dare you talk to me like that in my own house!" she hissed. But when her gaze darted behind Adrian and she noticed the civil officers standing in uniform, her color drained. Her fingers twitched nervously against the door.

"What is this?" she snapped, trying to sound confident again. "Why are officers here? What nonsense is this?"

Julian stepped forward, his voice steady but sharp. "You know exactly why we’re here. You forged property documents and took over Ruby’s parents’ estate after their deaths. We’re here to recover the evidence."

Clara’s face tightened, and her grip on the door hardened. "Nonsense! Lies!" she barked. "You two ghosts come here and think you can accuse me? This is my property. My sister left nothing behind—only debts! I paid them all. I took care of everything!" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. "You took everything, that much is true."

Her expression flickered for just a second before she caught herself. "Don’t play smart with me, Adrian," she said coldly. "You think I don’t know why you’re here? You want to make Ruby look innocent and yourselves like saviors. That witch has always been trouble. Always jealous of me."

Julian’s voice trembled with anger. "Jealous? Of you? She was just a child when you took away everything from her!"

"Watch your tone," Clara snapped, stepping forward. Her perfume was heavy, suffocating in the cold morning air. "I raised her for a while, didn’t I? Fed her, clothed her, gave her a roof when her parents died! And what did I get? Disrespect. That witch ran off without even thanking me!"

"You call locking her in a shed and feeding her scraps ’raising’?" Adrian said sharply, and even the officers behind him exchanged uneasy glances.

Clara’s lips twitched, but she quickly masked it with a bitter laugh. "Oh please. You’re believing the dramatic words of a drunk girl? Everyone in this village knows she was an addict. She couldn’t survive a day without alcohol. And you expect them to believe that I—a respected witch—would harm her?"

Julian took a deep breath, his fists trembling. "She was poisoned. By people connected to your factory."

At that, Clara’s composure cracked. Her smile faltered just slightly before she forced it back. "I don’t know what nonsense you’re talking about," she said, her tone dripping with fake confusion. "The chemical plant had nothing to do with me. It was Madame Shades’ company, wasn’t it?"

Adrian’s jaw tightened. "And you worked for her. You were her right hand, weren’t you? The one who handled contracts. The one who forced Ruby’s parents to sign those loyalty agreements."

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Watch your accusations," she said, stepping closer until they could smell the faint sharpness of alcohol on her breath. "Without proof, your words mean nothing. Now leave my property before I—"

But one of the officers raised a hand. "Miss Clara, we’re here under a formal investigation. You cannot stop us from entering. Please step aside."

Clara’s face stiffened, her pride trembling under the officer’s authority. "This is harassment! You have no right to enter my home!" she shouted, trying to slam the door, but Adrian’s arm shot out, catching it effortlessly.

The sound of wood meeting his palm echoed, sharp and final.

"Don’t make it harder for yourself," Adrian said quietly, his gaze boring into hers. "We’re not leaving without checking everything."

Clara glared at him, her teeth gritted. "You’ve become arrogant, Adrian. Just like that witch. I should’ve never trusted any of you."

"Trust?" he repeated, almost amused. "You don’t even understand the meaning of that word."

Kenji, who stood behind with Hugo, stepped forward politely. "Ma’am, if you’re innocent, you have nothing to hide. We’ll search quietly and leave. You have my word."

Clara scoffed, her eyes darting between all of them—Julian’s determined face, Adrian’s calm fury, and the officers’ badges gleaming in the sunlight.

Her pulse quickened, though she tried to stand tall. "Fine," she said finally, her voice shaking slightly beneath her pride. "Do what you want. But when you find nothing, remember this humiliation you’re bringing on yourselves."

She turned sharply and walked inside, her robe brushing the floor like a storm cloud. The officers exchanged glances and began to follow.

Adrian’s gaze lingered on her back for a long moment. "We’ll see who ends up humiliated," he murmured under his breath before stepping through the threshold.

Adrian and Julian followed the officers into the main hall, and the moment Clara shut the door behind them, her voice began—sharp, loud, and dripping with venom.

"So she sent you, huh?" she snapped, her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she followed them in. "That ungrateful brat couldn’t even face me herself. Hides behind her men like some queen while sending you to insult me in my own house! You think she’s innocent? She’s rotten, just like her mother!"

Julian froze mid-step, his jaw tightening. "Watch your mouth when you talk about her parents," he warned quietly, but Clara only scoffed.

To be continued... 🪄