My Second Marriage with the Mafia Kingpin-Chapter 13: Good Luck

Lucian pinched the bridge of his nose as he stood near his desk. His head throbbed faintly after a full day of work and the lack of sleep.

"Master, should I invite Doctor Wesley?" Gustav’s voice echoed in the quiet room. "It’s been a week since you’ve slept properly."

Lucian glanced at him but ignored the subject.

"Send word back to Marshal," he said instead. "Tell him we agree with his demands."

Gustav frowned deeply.

"Master, that bastard will keep demanding more and more if we keep playing his game. You already let him off after what he did to our trade a few months back."

"Do you call the shots now, Gustav?"

"..." Gustav lowered his head. "Apologies. I overstepped."

"Let him demand more," Lucian said as he turned on his heel to walk away. "His own greed will gnaw him in the future... and I’ll be there to watch."

With that, Lucian stepped out of the room, fully aware that Gustav wasn’t pleased with how he was handling the Di Carpios.

The marriage was supposed to bring peace between their families. But it was far from that. If anything, in this arrangement, it seemed only the Di Carpios were benefiting.

Walking down the hallway, Lucian checked his wristwatch.

It was already time for dinner.

He expected Ashley and Primo to be in the dining room by now, so he headed straight there to join them. He hadn’t joined them for breakfast or lunch.

Lucian wasn’t always home, but whenever he was, he made sure to share a meal with them. However, the moment he walked into the dining room, the strange atmosphere hit him without warning.

His brows knitted together in confusion as his steps slowed. His eyes studied the dining table.

Ashley and Primo sat in their respective seats.

As usual, Primo sat quietly while his plates were being served.

Ashley, on the other hand... she looked gloomy.

One could practically see dark clouds hovering over her head, thunder rumbling between them.

What happened? Lucian wondered as he sat down.

Then realization struck him, and his lips curved downward.

He had already warned her to stay away from Primo. But what did he expect? Ashley did whatever she wanted and rarely listened to anyone.

His lips were about to part when his gaze drifted to Primo. And then he noticed it.

The slight curl on the boy’s lips.

Primo had just begun eating, deliberately looking away from the death glares coming from the woman across the table, but he couldn’t quite hide the smugness on his face.

"..." Lucian was rendered speechless.

It was the first time he had ever seen Primo look... smug.

He cleared his throat and turned toward Ashley.

"You—"

But before he could continue, she raised her hand, stopping him while keeping her focus entirely on Primo.

Everyone present—Lucian, Nolan, and even the maids standing nearby—furrowed their brows at her sudden gesture.

"Stay out of this, Lu," she muttered under her breath, her eyes glinting. "This is between this guy and me."

The room instantly fell silent. Those around them held their breath.

This crazy woman — did she truly have a death wish?

Everyone quietly glanced at Lucian, waiting to see how he would react. Instead, they only saw him tilt his head slightly.

Meanwhile, Ashley continued staring at Primo.

"Someday, you’ll be crying while groveling at my feet," she warned him fearlessly, even with Lucian sitting right there. "And when that happens, you’ll be calling me master."

Everyone who heard her threaten the little master couldn’t help exchanging looks of disbelief.

Was this really how she spoke to a child?

Nolan frowned, so did several of the maids — even Lucian.

But much to everyone’s surprise, Primo didn’t react the way he usually did. He didn’t shut down, nor did he lower his head.

Instead, Primo nodded.

"This little..." Ashley ground her teeth, feeling the smug arrogance radiating from the boy.

Who would have thought Primo could be so arrogant?

She certainly never knew.

In her mind, the boy had always been quiet. Quiet and destined to study forever until the end of time. That was why she decided to play with him yesterday.

She even planned to let him win a few rounds, but Primo was terrifyingly good at the game.

Even when she started playing seriously, she still couldn’t win!

Her face twisted when Primo reached down to the seat beside him, scribbled something on a piece of paper, and lifted it across the table.

[Good luck.]

Ashley scoffed.

She was rendered speechless, just like everyone else in the room.

All they could do was watch Primo calmly set the paper down before resuming his meal.

Confusion quickly spread across everyone’s faces.

Was the young master... indulging her?

That woman?

Lucian quietly shifted his gaze between the two before sighing.

In the end, he simply let Ashley seethe in frustration while Primo calmly basked in the quiet victory over his challenger.

*****

"What is it, Nolan?"

Back in his room, Lucian had already begun changing his shirt while Nolan stood nearby.

"Master, I’m a little worried about the young master and the madam," Nolan said carefully. "I don’t mean to overstep, but knowing her... I’m afraid the young master might get hurt in the process."

Although Nolan remained polite toward Ashley, it was only because she was still Lucian’s wife. Regardless of her actions, he treated her with respect, even if many others disagreed with him.

Still, that didn’t mean he could forget the damage Ashley had caused Dominion again and again.

Lucian paused, considering his words.

Then Ashley’s voice echoed in his mind along with the sincerity he had seen in her eyes.

Lucian, I’m not going to hurt Primo. I’m not that low.

"Let them be for now," Lucian said as he glanced at Nolan.

"But Master—"

"Primo might be a child," Lucian continued as he resumed unbuttoning his shirt, "but he’s a smart boy. I’m certain he’s indulging her for a reason."

Perhaps out of curiosity to see how far she would go in trying to gain his trust.

"Master, don’t tell me you believe the madam has changed overnight," Nolan said cautiously. "For the past six months since she arrived, she only changed tactics. Her intentions never truly changed."

He stepped back and lowered his head.

"I understand she’s still the madam, but I’m worried about the young master."

Lucian knew that better than anyone. However...

"Unless she starts plotting to harm him, let them be for now, Nolan," he said, facing the head butler squarely.

Hesitation flickered in Nolan’s eyes as he stared at his master. In the end, he sighed heavily and bowed his head.

"Yes, Master."

With that, Nolan excused himself and left.

Lucian remained standing in the same spot.

He stared at the door for a moment before exhaling slowly. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"I wanted to believe her words..." he whispered.

But deep in his heart, he knew the truth. Nolan’s concerns were not unfounded. Everything she said, everything she did. It could all be lies.

Lies meant to lower his guard, to gain his trust, to open the door for another escape, to hurt him again.

And yet, foolish as he might be...

Despite knowing all of that, he still wanted to cling to the words that slipped from those reckless lips.

That she had changed, that she was Ashley version 2.0, and that she wanted to stay.

Even if it meant setting himself up for another devastating heartbreak.