My five ghostly husbands
Chapter 258 Fooled

Chapter 258: Chapter 258 Fooled

Karl finally reached the end of the market, panting slightly as he looked around. The sun was high, and the streets buzzed with vendors and chatter but his eyes quickly locked onto the tall figure waiting near the edge of the stalls.

Director Jiri.

She stood with arms crossed, dressed in a sharp midnight robe, her dark hair tied in a high twist. Her face looked anything but pleased.

"You’re late," she said the moment she saw him, her tone clipped and eyes narrowing. "Fifteen minutes late. If you want to become a star, Karl, you need to be early, not struggling in like a lost animal."

Karl flinched, his shoulders stiffening under her sharp voice. "I-I’m sorry... I had to sneak out of the house. It was hard. Everyone was awake."

He looked down, feeling small under her gaze. His fingers nervously fiddled with the edge of his robe, voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t mean to be late..."

Jiri rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Alright, alright," she huffed, turning on her heel. "Don’t start crying now. I don’t have time for that."

Karl’s lips wobbled, and his big blue eyes turned watery but he blinked quickly and held it in.

At home... he could cry.

Julian would wipe his tears gently. Milo would bring him sweets. Ruby would pat his head and ask him what happened, and Adrian... even he would silently stay nearby.

But here?

Out here, in front of strangers—he had to be strong.

He had to look like someone worthy of being on a stage.

So he sniffed softly and nodded. "Okay. I’ll follow."

Jiri didn’t wait. She started walking toward a side path that led out of the market, toward a large wagon ride waiting near the trees.

Karl followed her quickly, wiping his face when she wasn’t looking.

Inside, his heart beat nervously but a small part of him still whispered—

"Just wait, Wife. I’m going to make you proud."

Karl sat in the wagon beside Jiri, hugging his knees and looking out the window.

For the first ten minutes, he said nothing—still a little nervous from her earlier scolding.

But then his eyes squinted as the road curved and he noticed something familiar.

"Wait..." he whispered under his breath, leaning toward the window. "Isn’t this the village next to ours...?"

His brows furrowed. The signs, the tree shapes, even the crooked fence near the small tea shop...he knew this place.

Karl blinked, confused. "If the village is so close, why haven’t I ever seen a shooting set here?"

Almost as if sensing his confusion, Jiri suddenly sat straighter, her voice lifting.

"Just a bit more. You’ll love the set—it’s huge. We’ve brought in actors from the capital and the northern region. One of the top celebrity witches is going to be filming there tomorrow."

Karl’s eyes lit up instantly, his confusion fading as excitement bloomed again. "Really? Capital actors?!"

Jiri smiled now, sensing the effect of her words. "Mhm. You’ll be in the presence of real professionals. The kind who’ve had their faces printed on magazines and sky banners."

Karl’s jaw dropped slightly.

His imagination took off like a bird—he could already see himself wearing fancy robes, standing next to shining witches, saying cool lines into a crystal mic, and signing autographs for crowds of admirers.

"I’ll be famous too?" he asked, voice small but full of hope.

Jiri gave him a side glance and smiled thinly. "If you’re obedient and work hard... who knows?"

Karl straightened up proudly, rubbing his nose like he was already a star. "I’ll do my best!"

Still... in the back of his mind, a quiet question whispered.

Why are they taking me to such a nearby place if the set is supposed to be so famous?

But he brushed it off.

Famous people did mysterious things all the time, right?

The vehicle came to a stop with a soft jolt, and Karl sat up straighter, blinking rapidly. He looked out the window, expecting bright banners, makeup tents, or even a noisy film crew.

But instead... there stood an old, worn-out three-story building, surrounded by crooked trees and silence. Its walls were chipped, windows dark and dusty, and the air carried a strange, musty heaviness.

Karl’s stomach dropped.

"Where’s the set...?" he asked, voice small and unsure.

Jiri stepped out first, her long robes brushing the dusty ground. She looked back at him with a strange smile—tight-lipped and too sharp at the edges.

"Oh, don’t worry," she said sweetly. "We’re just shooting a crime scene scene here. Very intense. Very... real."

Karl hesitated, one foot still inside the vehicle. His heart beat faster now, and a cold prickle slid down his spine.

Still, he got out.

Jiri led him toward the building, her heels echoing on the broken steps as she guided him past the first and second floor, toward a narrow staircase that led to a dusty third floor attic space.

"W-Why is no one else here?" he asked nervously, glancing around. "Where’s the crew?"

"You’re early," she said, her voice calm but distant. "This part’s private. We need raw reactions."

Before Karl could ask more, she reached the top and opened the creaky door.

"Go ahead," she said, motioning for him to step in.

He took one slow step... then another.

Suddenly—a sharp jab pierced into his upper arm.

"Ah—!"

His eyes widened in shock as a heavy force shoved him forward, and the world tilted. His body hit the cold, hard floor with a thud, his head smacking painfully against something sharp.

Stars danced in front of his eyes.

"Wha...?"

The last thing he saw was Jiri’s shadowy figure looming at the doorway, eyes glowing with something he didn’t understand.

And then...

Everything went black.

***

In the dim light of the hallway, Jepsi stood with a wicked smirk on her face, arms folded as she watched Jiri lock the door behind her.

The sound of metal clicking echoed through the stairwell, sealing the room shut—where Karl now lay unconscious on the cold floor, blood trickling slowly from the side of his head.

Jepsi stepped forward, tossing a small pouch of Coins into Jiri’s hand.

"Hahaha, well done! Here’s your payment," she said, grinning.

—To be continued...🪄