New World with Four Husbands
Chapter 41: A second too late

Chapter 41: A second too late

Zaque always knew how Coco Hughes would prefer to use the money she got on the pub of Red Horse Inn, wasting the night away and drowning herself with alcohol until she had enough.

Zaque was always there to greet Coco by the door, hoping and praying that the Hughes woman he was married to would change her ways and means in life.

Zaque would always be there whenever Coco gets violent towards the other husbands, screaming on the top of her lungs whenever she saw how they would avoid her in the room, actively hiding inside their rooms.

Zaque was always there to protect the second, third, and fourth husband from being beaten up. However, one night, when he was out to buy something to eat in the market, Coco had come home and found Alhai at the dining table.

Zaque was a second too late.

The next thing he knew was Alhai crying and begging for Coco to stop beating him with the wooden chair, unable to fight back because of his fright and could only sob as the hits got harder and rougher.

Zaque was a second too late.

His body moved on its own and slammed his body against Coco, making the two of them tumble down to the floor, both of their heads hitting the wall, creating a terrible loud noise.

Zaque was a second too late.

He stood up and scrambled to get away from Coco, his hands shaking and his heart racing out of fear. He grabbed Alhai off the floor and ushered him up the stairs— his eyes locked with Heiren’s glossy brown irises, a telltale sign that he was crying.

Zaque was a second too late.

Coco was quick to grab him by his hair and pulled it hard, making him cry out in pain. Coco was grumbling and hissing at him, cursing him out for being a terrible spouse towards her and Zaque could only stay there and listen.

Zaque remembered that Coco was muttering something about how her head hurts and pushed him off her. He stumbled forward, his hands reaching out to stop himself from slamming against the dining table.

Coco Hughes screamed at him for the last time and exited the house, slamming the door behind her as she swayed from left and right, the alcohol’s influence still in her system.

He might be a second too late, but at least he had driven away their abusive wife for the night.

He was relieved and thankful that he managed to stop their wife from beating Alhai further, but he can’t stop the dread from washing over his entire being for the next day to come.

However, their wife didn’t return home the next morning or the morning after that, and the next morning, then the next.. Until Coco Hughes didn’t show up as if she had vanished into thin air.

The four mediators were frantic and anxious due to Coco Hughes’s disappearance.

They could be suspected of her death if her body was found somewhere, but that can’t be, right? Coco Hughes always comes back.

No matter how wasted she was the night before and slept somewhere else, she would always come back, stumbling through the door and demanding for a massage in her temples to lessen the pain of her hangover.

So, seeing the things Coco bought back for him and the other husbands, Zaque couldn’t stop himself from feeling anxious.

What if their wife was just lying and was getting the money somewhere else? What if she met a madman and got herself fooled and was now working for them?

"Can you call for the others? I will have to ask all of you to play rock, paper, and scissors so it will be fair and square." Coco said, crossing her arms in front of her and smiling towards his direction.

What if all of this was just an act? What if after a couple of times she comes back with things for them, she would revert back to her old, abusive self? What if everything that was happening was a mere illusion and a dream that he hadn’t woken up from?

That can’t be, right? There’s no way someone like Coco Hughes could change drastically overnight, right?

"Quizen will be home soon." Zaque answered, looking away from Coco and glaring daggers at the floor, "Alhai is out and Heiren is asleep."

If he said that the other husbands are not free and would not accommodate her requests then that would send her off to her way, right? He can’t stand her staying inside the house and has the chance to hurt the second, third, and forth husband.

No, he can’t have that.

"Oh." Was the only thing he received from her— he couldn’t stop himself from being confused and curious.

His head perked up, feeling his red strands framing his face as he looked at his wife. She has her chin between her index finger and thumb, staring blankly at the things on top of the table.

She looked like she was pondering deeply about something with the fairy looking like she’s helping Coco to decide whatever they were trying to decide.

His fists clenched tighter, an unfamiliar feeling bubbling in his chest as she watched the fairy touch Coco’s face with a large smile on her face, making his wife perk up and say something incoherent under her breath.

Coco smiled, rubbing her nose against the fairy’s belly which made the said fairy laugh.

Ring!

Ring!

Ring!

The sound the fairy names resonated in the air, making the unsettling feeling bubble harder inside of him. His eyebrows furrowed, touching his chest to stop whatever he was feeling.

"Well, since they’re not here. I’ll be on my way." Coco spoke up and made him snap his attention back to her.

Zaque cleared his throat and nodded his head, "I’ll let them know that you stopped by—"

"No need." Coco cuts him off as she picks something off the table.