New World with Four Husbands

Chapter 426: Fifth husband?

Alhai and Kairo bumped into each other on their way inside the house, both of them stopping momentarily on their tracks when they saw each other.

"Just got back from work?" Kairo asked, walking in front of Alhai as he brushed through the gates.

"Hm." Alhai merely let out a grunt as a response, shutting the gates behind him and clicking the lock into place, his eyes scanning the area for a moment before deeming it safe to walk towards the house.

Kairo waited for Alhai to finish checking the perimeters before he walked inside the house.

As soon as he walked through, he was greeted by the sound of hushed yet heated whispers coming from the kitchen accompanied with his young master’s voice that seems to be the cause of the whispers.

He was hesitant to push the door open, but Alhai didn’t care and just pushed it open.

"Coco won’t take any husband anytime soon!" Heiren hissed, his voice cracking with his knuckles turning white at how tight his grips were on the plate.

"Why not though? The wife should be the one to make that decision, no?" Rey tilted his head, taunting Heiren.

"You.." Zaque frowned and kept his glare at Rey. "We opened our doors for you and your butler.. And this is the thanks we get?"

"You offered." Rey countered back.

"That doesn’t mean I will tolerate—" Zaque started, his voice rising in volume, but his words died down on his throat when his eyes caught Alhai and Kairo standing by the kitchen’s doorway.

"What is going on?" Alhai asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The third husband!" Rey whirled around and brightened up. "Perfect timing! I was asking Zaque and Heiren if you guys are up for the thought of Coco having a fifth husband!"

"No." Alhai stated bluntly, going straight to the point.

Rey froze and blinked owlishly, not expecting for the third husband to refuse.

Out of all of them, Alhai Hughes seemed to be the most against being married to Coco Hughes so he was hopeful that Alhai would agree to take a fifth mediator under Coco’s wings.

"But why?" Rey tilted his head, letting go of the rag he was using previously to wipe the table.

"Because Coco is our wife." Alhai answered, his tone uncharacteristically quiet, but firm, completely against the younger mediator’s offer.

"Okay, fine." Rey huffed and rounded the table.

"Young master?" Kairo called, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What’s happening?"

Rey ignored him and said. "I’ll just ask Coco myself. It’s not like you’ll be able to stop her if she wants to have another, no? She’s quite a catch after all."

"You—" Zaque growled, but again, he got cut off.

"I don’t want another mediator." A feminine voice came from behind Kairo.

Alhai and Kairo flinched in their spot and rushed to get away from the door, both of them feeling spooked at the unexpected presence behind them.

"I already have four lovely mediators married to me." Coco continued, smiling.

"Coco!" Rey looked relieved when he saw her, but his smile turned upside-down when he processed what Coco had just said. "But why? I’ll help you take care of five of them if you take in Kairo as your husbands.."

"My husbands were vocal about their disagreement." Coco answered, simply reminding Rey about the mediators" refusal.

"That’s true, but the man or woman they married will have the final say." The mediator insisted, his voice now edging towards a more panic-stricken tone. "Besides, I’ll sponsor your wedding! Or your husbands!"

"Master? What’s happening?" Kairo asked once more, feeling completely lost as to why the mediator he was serving sounded a little desperate.

"Please, Coco!" Rey begged, grabbing Coco’s hand between his. "Please.. Protect him."

His voice lowered in volume, his grip on her hand tightening like he was scared of letting go— like he was holding on for dear life.

"Kairo is in danger." Rey murmured, frowning.

"What do you mean?" Coco inquired, her grip on his hands slightly tightening. "Is someone threatening the two of you?"

Rey’s and Kairo’s arrival were startling and unexpected, but Coco was happy that her husbands were kind enough to let them stay in the house.

However, the reason behind their unpredictable stay was never voiced out.

"Yes." Rey answered honestly as he breathed out a shaky sigh. "I don’t know what she will do to me, but I don’t care.. I just don’t want her to hurt Kai."

"Who?" Coco asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"The Baroness." Rey mumbled, his voice barely above whisper. "She found out that me and Kairo refused to go under her orders.. Only because I found out how kind you are."

"She sent you and Kairo?" Coco repeated, a look of hurt flashing in her eyes.

Rey was quick to tighten his grip on her hand because she started to shake him off. "No, no, no, no— no! That’s not what I mean by what I just said!"

Coco tensed up and let her hand stay between Rey’s hands. "Then what did you mean?"

"Yes, it’s true that we were sent by the Baroness to the village to keep an eye on you." Rey admitted with a frown. "But I didn’t have a choice.. She had someone important to me captive."

Coco’s heart dropped, a sense of dread washing over her.

"It’s fine now though." Rey laughed bitterly. "I heard from one of our people that she managed to get away.. So I’m going to find her."

"Master?" Kairo called out again, hoping that Rey will explain what was going on.

"I need to leave Kairo in safe hands, Coco.." The young mediator. "Sure, you don’t have to marry him, but being married to you would secure his safety."

"Why? Can’t he marry someone else—"

"No one has a notable reputation as good as you." Rey said firmly, cutting Coco off with a shake of his head.

"Of course, I won’t force it, but please.. Consider it."