Exiled Villainess Becomes Ruler (Republished/Edited)

Zeke Scolded

As Melody kept dragging him, Zeke glanced around in embarrassment. He tried to struggle to unlatch her, but her grip on him was firm.

"Melody, my sweet, can you please stop pulling me? Everyone is staring at us," he whispered nervously, noticing the curious looks from the market-goers.

Melody looked down at him coldly and, turning up her nose, said, "Don't be so easily embarrassed, Zeke. It's normal for someone to make sure their future husband doesn't get into trouble."

Zeke blushed wildly at hearing "future husband."

"But if you keep pulling me like this, I'm going to drop my grass. I'm surprised you didn't give me an earful back there," he said.

Without looking back at him, Melody replied, "Oh, you'll definitely get an earful. Just not back there. Wait until we get back to your brother, and you'll hear what I have to say loud and clear regarding you and your precious grass," she threatened.

Zeke gulped, looking at his lover's stern face with frightened eyes.

Eve casually followed the couple, amused by their interaction. In her mind, she thought, Melody is such a strong woman; she's able to drag a grown man without letting go once.

The three made it back to the Farling brothers' stall.

There, they saw Jon leaning back in his chair with his hands resting on his stomach, eyes closed in sleep.

Melody finally let go of Zeke, who rubbed his manhandled arm.

"My brother isn't watching the stall either! Look, he's asleep!" Zeke complained, gesturing toward Jon.

"Oh, please, Zeke. You know Jon is not truly asleep. Even in his sleep, he's still alert," Melody stated.

"How could you forget that, Zeke?" Jon piped up without opening his eyes, unbothered. "As my brother, you should know me better than that. Even Melody knows."

Zeke just grumbled incoherently, refusing to admit he was trying to get Jon into trouble with Melody too.

"Now that we're all here," Melody said slowly, a threatening aura emerging from her form, "let's talk."

"Melody, please have mercy," Zeke begged, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Zeke, you blockheaded buffoon! How dare you abandon poor Jon to go play somewhere! As co-overseers, you both have to work together as a team to promote your products! You know that you have strengths and weaknesses in how you handle your business. Jon has the tendency to scare customers away without trying and doesn't have the charisma of a salesperson like you do. You need to help your brother out! No offense, Jon," she added, glancing at the younger Farling brother.

"None taken," Jon said uncaringly, continuing to watch the unfolding drama with his hands crossed behind his head.

Eve remained silent, standing to the side, equally entertained as Jon.

"But Melody," Zeke began to argue while scratching his head, "the market has some amazing stuff being sold that's worth getting for my lab."

Wait, Zeke has a lab? Is that Zeke's special room that Jon didn't show me when he gave me a tour of their home three years ago? Eve thought.

"Like those useless-looking grasses," Melody said, pointing at the bunches of grass still in Zeke's hand.

"These grasses are not useless! I have firsthand experience of what they can do!" Zeke said, continuing his argument.

"Let me guess, it made you stupid, right? You're usually a very smart man who already does stupid things, but just a few puffs of it made you mentally incapable!" Melody said with a deadpan tone.

Zeke gave a dramatic gasp. "Ouch!" he said, placing a hand on his chest. "How can you say something so cruel, Melody? I'll have you know that my mental capabilities are completely fine!" Zeke began to fake-cry dramatically.

What a dramatic man, Eve thought.

"Hmph, how childish. I wonder what I see in you," Melody stated, turning her body away from Zeke with her arms crossed.

Zeke continued his melodramatic act, muttering phrases like, "How can I love such a cruel woman?" and "No one understands my vision."

Then, he suddenly wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist. "Please, please, please, Melody, don't be angry with me. I promise not to wander off again! Can you please look at me, my love?"

Melody's expression was stoic, but if you looked closely, her mouth was forming a slight smile.

Eve and Jon met each other's eyes.

"Is this their dynamic?" she asked him.

"Yes," Jon replied.