Author's Pov...
Ren spent the entire afternoon preparing.
He wanted tonight to be special—just him and Evan, in a calm, peaceful moment without anyone else… or any of those chaotic husbands popping up.
The long dining table was dressed in pristine white linen, with soft, flickering candles lining the center. Gentle music hummed in the background, the scent of freshly cooked pasta filling the warm air.
Tonight, I will create a memory that belongs only to us, Ren thought, placing the final touches on the dessert.
Evan entered the dining hall just in time, wearing a simple black shirt that perfectly fit his frame. For once, he looked… like just Evan.
Ren smiled warmly. "Sit down. Tonight, it's just us."
Evan's eyes softened as he approached, taking his seat across from Ren. "You did all this for me?"
"I wanted something normal," Ren said softly. "Something just for us. No interruptions, no chaos."
They clinked their glasses and shared a quiet moment, exchanging tender glances, fingers brushing on the tablecloth.
For once, Ren felt like his life was settling.
Until suddenly—the fire alarm blared.
Smoke filled the room—not from any actual fire, but from the over-scented candle Ren had forgotten to blow out near the curtain. The curtain caught a tiny spark and the smoke quickly triggered the alarm.
Ren jumped in panic. "What the hell—?! I literally triple-checked everything!"
Before he could process, the doors burst open.
"STAND BACK, CIVILIAN!"
Evan stormed in, now fully dressed in firefighter gear, carrying a fire extinguisher with a badge clipped onto his chest that read Lieutenant Blaze.
Ren's jaw dropped.
"Wait—you can't just—"
Without hesitation, Lieutenant Blaze grabbed Ren and scooped him into his arms bridal style.
"Safety protocol! I must evacuate the precious citizen immediately!" Blaze shouted heroically, his deep voice echoing through the hall.
Ren flailed. "I'm literally your husband! Put me down!"
Blaze kicked open the front doors with unnecessary force and carried Ren down the steps like they were escaping a full-on disaster.
"This is overkill! It was just one candle!" Ren screeched as Blaze sprinted across the lawn.
Blaze smirked. "Can't take chances when my beloved's life is in danger."
Ren buried his face in his hands. "Why does this always happen to me?"
Blaze sat him down gently on the garden bench and dramatically checked his pulse like a true hero. "Vital signs stable. All clear."
"You set the alarm off on purpose, didn't you?!" Ren accused.
Blaze winked, completely unapologetic.
Ren growled. "Seventeen husbands down. How many more to go…?"
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Next Morning: At Ren's Film Agency
Ren was ready to mentally reset.
His movie directorial debut had been going well, and today, he was meeting the production team for script revisions.
Finally, Ren thought, a normal, peaceful day where I can focus on my work like an actual adult.
His office was modern and minimalistic, bright with large windows and sunlight pouring in. The assistant brought his coffee as he set up the meeting with his screenwriter.
The meeting went smoothly—for about ten minutes.
Then the lights flickered.
Ren frowned. "Huh? Must be a glitch."
His laptop screen suddenly went black before displaying:
"Hello, babe *with red heart emoji*"
Ren's eyes widened. "What the hell—?"
Suddenly, the door to his office locked automatically.
The projector turned on, blasting embarrassing couple photos of him and Evan on the giant meeting room screen.
His phone vibrated.
New contact name: "Your Husband Forever *heart emoji*"
Ren's soul left his body.
Oh no. It's him. I forgot about this one…
The office door creaked open slowly.
There stood Evan in a loose hoodie, messy hair, round glasses slipping down his nose, and a laptop casually tucked under his arm.
Theo.
Ren glared. "You can't hack my life just because you are a nerd."
Theo pushed up his glasses with a smug grin. "I told you, babe. You can't escape me in the digital world."
"You hacked the office doors?"
"Obviously."
"You changed all my phone contacts?"
"Of course."
"You posted our wedding selfies on my agency's official account?!"
Theo smirked, completely unrepentant.
Ren's assistant walked by, confused. "Sir, the building's security says someone keeps overriding their system…"
Theo waved. "That's me! Hi, I'm the husband."
Ren hissed. "Get out!"
"Too late," Theo replied, tapping his laptop. The blinds lowered, the room dimmed, and soft romantic music began to play.
"Stop setting the mood!" Ren barked.
Theo shrugged. "Well, you wanted quality time."
Ren stomped toward him, but the doors automatically locked again.
Theo's laptop voice spoke in a deadpan robotic tone. "Access denied, sweetheart. You belong to me today."
Ren slammed his fist on the desk.
"I just wanted to finish my meeting, you hacker menace!"
Theo leaned against the desk, invading his space. "Work can wait. Love can't."
Ren's soul gave up. "Eighteen husbands down. I don't even want to know how many more to go."
Theo smiled, brushing his fingers against Ren's chin. "At this point, aren't you at least a little curious?"
"…Get out."
Theo blew him a kiss and casually walked out, leaving Ren's office in disarray with hearts still floating on every monitor.
Ren collapsed into his chair.
Maybe I should move to the mountains.
_______________________________________
THE END