As soon as Ashley got hold of her laptop, she happily placed it on her lap. Meanwhile, Lucian spoke to the doctor and told Gustav to settle her discharge papers.

The ones left behind in the ward were Ashley, Lucian, Lukas, Gin, Vodka, and Rum. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Vodka and Rum glanced at each other and shrugged. Even though they weren’t sure what was happening or why they were even there, they listened as Gin summarized the situation for Ashley.

Is she even listening, though? Rum and Vodka wondered, studying Ashley as she focused on typing on her laptop.

Meanwhile, Lucian sat right beside her, also looking at the screen.

Lukas, on the other hand, rolled his eyes as he glanced at Gin.

What’s the point of him repeating everything to her?

Regardless of everyone’s confusion — even his own — Gin didn’t miss a beat. He didn’t care whether she was listening to every word or simply making him talk senselessly. Gin did as he was ordered.

"As for the sedative used on the madam, the results just came back. According to the lab we sent it to for examination, it’s a highly potent sedative," Gin continued. "But they also said it was something they had never seen before."

Gin paused, studying Ashley and Lucian, who were too busy with the laptop.

"I checked the underground for any trace of it. We didn’t find anything like that on the black market. What we did find, however, was a request for the same thing one year ago."

"That’s all we have for now," Gin sighed, lowering his head.

For the next few seconds, Ashley didn’t respond. Lukas snickered internally.

I knew it. She’s just trying to make herself look relevant. How could she have understood any of that?

After a moment, Ashley finally stopped typing. She slowly turned to Lucian, whose brows rose in surprise before he met her gaze.

"Tell me I’m amazing." She winked at him and smirked.

Lucian nodded. "Impressive."

"Heh. Thanks." She shrugged before snapping her eyes toward Gin. "Gin, I sent you something. Look into it."

Gin furrowed his brows just as his phone buzzed against his chest. Taking it out, he saw that an unrecognized number had sent him a link. Knowing it was from Ashley, he clicked it and was redirected to another site.

It was not an underground black market, but a site run by an international government agency. Many major organizations knew about this site and stayed far away from it. It was how the authorities had caught some of the biggest names in the underground.

In other words, it was a site designed to trap and catch criminals.

But that wasn’t the only thing that caught Gin off guard. It was the particular listing she had sent him.

It was an ambiguous sedative with no explanation attached to it.

All that was there was a name: Sleeping Beauty.

Vodka and Rum craned their necks and furrowed their brows in confusion. Lukas arched a brow, resisting the urge to check what was making the three of them look so puzzled.

"How—" Gin snapped his eyes to her, but before he could finish, she spoke.

"My abductors — where are they?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Lucian raised a brow and glanced at the others, signaling them to answer even though the matter had already been briefly mentioned.

"The leader of the group, the one in charge, is hospitalized and being closely monitored," Gin answered. "As for the other members, including the one who was on the ship with the madam, they’re being held separately. They’ve been interrogated..."

Gin checked his wristwatch.

"...and are likely still being interrogated as we speak."

"Enough of that," she ordered, glancing at Lucian and receiving an approving nod. "Make sure the injured one — Khan — gets proper treatment. As for the other three, release them and give them proper lodging."

"What?" Lukas stepped forward. "Master, you can’t just do that!"

"It’s not my order," Lucian said, leaning against the headboard, perfectly at ease beside her. "It’s hers."

Ashley frowned. "Mister Advisor, Lucian can definitely do that."

"Ahem!" Lukas cleared his throat and regained his composure. "All I’m saying is that this will not end well for Dominion."

Drawing a deep breath, he reminded himself to stay logical.

"Even if those four got caught up in a conspiracy, the fact remains that they abducted her. They accepted this job, executed it, and succeeded."

"It wouldn’t look good for Dominion — and frankly, it wouldn’t sit well with the members of Dominion — to simply let these people go after what they did," he continued. "People would think Dominion can be pushed around. It would give the impression that Dominion spares people just because."

"What I’m saying is this: whether they were forced into this job or not — true or not — doesn’t matter. They made a decision, crossed Dominion, and now they have to face the consequences," he added sternly. "Others might think they can claim the same thing and receive the same mercy."

Gin, Vodka, and Rum studied Lukas’ side profile. The trio leaned more toward Gustav than Lukas, but in this situation, they were all part of Dominion.

"I agree with him," Gin said quietly, looking between Ashley and Lucian. "I apologize if I’m overstepping, but I think these people were emboldened because they knew Dominion had been choosing diplomacy over bloodshed."

He huffed sharply. "I think we need to remind people that Dominion is still Dominion."

"I don’t think that’s what this actually is," Ashley replied, her voice quieter. "As you said, those four accepted this job on their own terms regardless of their reasons — they made a decision, executed it, and succeeded."

Her eyes swept across their faces before settling on Lukas.

"They succeeded, Mr. Advisor. Which means keeping them alive is far more beneficial to us than killing them. They managed to abduct Lucian De Luca’s wife right under Dominion’s nose. That alone says a lot."

"I agree with her," Lucian said.

Lukas frowned. "Master."

"Lukas, you want those four dead — not because you don’t understand this," Lucian explained calmly, "but because they humiliated Dominion."

Exactly! That was what Lukas wanted to say. How could those four humiliate Dominion and walk away from it?

"Don’t be emotional," Lucian reminded him before shifting his attention to Ashley. "Give them a chance to become assets to Dominion."

He shifted his gaze to Lukas, then to Gin.

"Life or death — let them decide. Deal with them accordingly."

Silence settled over the room as they all looked at Lucian, then at Ashley. None of them was pleased, but they also understood that pulling off a stunt like that had taken real skill.

"As for the Mole Dude..." Ashley chimed in, taking their silence as agreement. "Is he still alive?"

Lukas couldn’t help but snort. "What? Are we taking him in too?"

"Lukas, we’re not a charity. How could you suggest that?" She frowned before smiling and turning to Gin. "Gin, tell Tank and Red we no longer need him alive."

"What?"

Her smile stretched wider as she turned to Lucian.

He clarified, "She’s going to send you a few locations. Send his pieces there. Be creative with it."