My Second Marriage with the Mafia Kingpin-Chapter 21: Just Like That

Gustav gulped as he stood behind Lucian. His eyes drifted to his boss’s back, sensing Lucian’s mood darkening. But this time, the heaviness and darkness emanating from his boss felt stronger than ever.

Was it because Ashley was playing dangerously with fire?

That new tactic of hers was different from the usual. At least before, Ashley would never deny that she wanted to leave. She would openly show her disgust, her intention to leave, and her hatred toward everything.

But now, she was playing with Lucian’s heartstrings. Not just Lucian’s, but Primo’s as well.

That woman... she is always so cunning, Gustav thought, sighing heavily at what could happen once they confirmed this was another ploy by Ashley.

When did she start planning this?

Helping another person out of the goodness of her heart?

Impossible.

Ashley was getting more and more cunning in how she tried to escape Dominion, and this explained why she was trying so hard to tag along.

Again, Gustav’s eyes drifted to Lucian’s back. His mouth pressed into a tight line as he let out another heavy sigh.

"I’ve already told our men to start the search, Master," he reported. "They’re already moving. We’ll get her back."

But all he received in return was silence.

Gustav lowered his head slightly. Even he didn’t know why Lucian wanted to keep Ashley by his side. Lucian was not the type to hold on to people. Considering their line of work, they were well aware of how fragile life was.

One second, they could be talking to someone.

The next second, that person could already be bleeding to death.

So the only person who actually knew the reason why Lucian was so determined to keep Ashley was Lucian himself.

Only him.

"And Master—"

DING!

Before Gustav could finish, the elevator finally reached the fifth floor.

As the doors parted, Gustav’s eyes slid toward the opening gap. His brows slowly rose before he squinted slightly, noticing a few people standing on the other side.

Lucian, whose expression had been shrouded in shadow, furrowed his brows when he finally recognized the person standing in front of the lift.

Ashley.

Behind her were the five guards who had been assigned to protect and watch over her. She was holding a small paper bag.

The darkness on Lucian’s face slowly faded as her figure became clearer.

"Lu?" Ashley blinked innocently, tilting her head to the side. Then her face brightened as she hopped inside the lift, pushing Gustav aside.

She looped her arm around Lucian’s arm, beaming. "You’re back? So early? Did you eat?"

"..."

Lucian was rendered speechless, simply staring at her.

When he was told she was inside someone’s room, he had already expected the worst—that she had finally escaped and that they had all fallen into her trap.

But seeing her still here confused him.

"Gustav," Lucian called without taking his eyes off Ashley. "Get out."

Ashley’s brows twitched upward as she turned to Gustav, whom she had purposely pushed aside earlier.

Gustav cleared his throat and nodded, bowing to Lucian before stepping out of the lift. But before he did, he pressed their floor button along with the close button.

As he stood outside, joining Ashley’s guards, they lowered their heads until the lift doors closed.

The moment Lucian and Ashley were out of sight, Gustav turned to the five guards.

"What happened?" he asked coldly. "Why didn’t you reach out to me when you found out she was still here?"

The guards exchanged conflicted glances before looking back at Gustav. One of them finally spoke.

"Captain, the thing is... we actually thought everything was going according to her plan," he explained. "We were about to barge into the room, but before we did, she opened the door."

They could still remember the confusion on her face when she saw them ready to kick the door open.

"And we couldn’t reach you," another guard added. "Maybe the signal in the lift was slow. We tried to contact you to say she was still there."

Gustav studied their expressions, noticing the confusion and lingering shock on their faces. It would have been easier to explain if she had escaped rather than if she had simply stayed.

"Did she really just help someone out of the goodness of her heart?" he wondered aloud, echoing the same question in everyone’s mind.

But they didn’t dwell on it. Instead, they began contacting the men who had already started searching for Ashley even before they confirmed she had escaped.

*****

Meanwhile, inside the lift...

BAM!

Ashley winced in surprise when her back hit the wall, Lucian’s hand slamming against it beside her. As soon as the doors closed, he grabbed her shoulder and cornered her against the wall.

His eyes glinted dangerously as he stared at her face, as if trying to confirm something.

"What is it now...?" she frowned, shrinking slightly against the wall under his gaze. "Did I do something again?"

Lucian didn’t answer.

He didn’t even know why, but the mere thought that she might have escaped again had already made his heart race.

After everything she had shown him, he thought she wouldn’t be able to maintain the act anymore and had used this chance to leave.

But she didn’t.

And he couldn’t understand the strange feeling swelling in his chest.

But if he examined that emotion closely, he knew it was... willingness.

A willingness to give her the benefit of the doubt, a willingness to trust her.

"Am I not allowed to talk to others?" she muttered, frowning as she held the small paper bag carefully between her fingers. "But Auntie Liza is so nice, and she makes her own tea too. I tried it and asked if she could give me some because they’re really good. I want my husband to try them too."

Husband?

Lucian felt as if a bucket of ice had been poured over him as the anger inside him vanished.

His gaze fell on the small paper bag she had been holding from the beginning.

Ashley looked up at him, biting her lip slightly as the corners of her eyes reddened. Her fingers tightened around the paper bag as if her life depended on it.

"Can you try this?" she asked quietly. "They’re really good—I tried them myself. And she said it might help you relax, especially if you have sleeping problems. I know nothing worked unless it’s hypnosis from Doctor Wesley. But... maybe this will."

Her eyes grew rounder, as if her only concern at that moment was making him try the tea.

Lucian leaned back slightly, the anger inside him completely fading. He studied her face for a moment before glancing at the paper bag between them.

"Okay," he finally said.

And he had a front-row seat to how her face instantly brightened.

"Then I’ll make it for you!" she said excitedly. "Okay?"

A brief look of surprise crossed his face before he answered in a much gentler tone.

"Okay."

"Yey~!" Ashley cheered, stepping forward to hug him happily.

Lucian let out a helpless sigh and allowed her to rub his back excitedly. But somehow... that alone was enough to soothe him.

Just like that.