The next day...

"See you later, Primo!"

Ashley smiled as she stood outside the house, waving Primo goodbye as Khan and Nelek drove him to school that day.

Primo smiled back and waved, looking at her through the window as the car slowly rolled away.

She stayed in the same spot, watching the car disappear from sight.

Meanwhile, some people in the neighborhood peeked at her from afar. But all they saw was Ashley bidding Primo goodbye like usual.

Once she turned around, Nolan flinched a little before smiling.

"Good morning, Madam," he greeted with a nod, only to raise his brows when another car rolled up in front of them. Confused, he looked at her. "Madam?"

"I won’t be home until later," she said as Rus opened the door for her. "Don’t wait for me. I will pick Primo up and go home with him."

"Uh—" Nolan couldn’t even get a word out as he watched the car roll away.

Deep lines appeared between his brows as he noticed the change in routine. Khan and Nelek drove Primo to school when, usually, it would be Red or Tank if Lucian was not available. And now, Ashley was with another recruit.

Where were the guys?

Nolan turned toward the house across from him, catching Rum opening the door with his arms stretched as if he had just woken up.

"..." Nolan blinked, tilting his head. "I wonder what happened to them?"

*****

Ashley had cried her heart out last night.

Her body wanted to stay down, her heart heavy, her mind full of negative thoughts. Just opening her eyes that morning felt like the entire universe was dragging her into paralysis.

But she couldn’t.

From the bottom of her soul, she knew crying her heart out once was the only thing she was allowed as Lucian’s wife. Not because she needed to pretend to be strong, but because no one else would care about her or Primo.

If she didn’t get up today to pick up the pieces of her heart, it would be Primo’s heart she would have to watch shatter.

Not to mention, it was only a matter of time before this news spread.

So even if it was hard, even if her heart was heavy, and even when her mind was filled with self-loathing, she had to get back up.

Back in the intensive care unit, Ashley stood beside Lucian’s bed. She brushed his hair away from his forehead, bending over slightly to look at him closely.

"Lucian, good morning," she whispered, slowly holding his hand. Her eyes softened as she noticed he still looked the same. At least, he didn’t look like someone who was dying.

"Primo and I will go to the school concert later," she said softly. "He said we’re going to take videos and pictures. So once you wake up, we’ll show them to you."

She smiled faintly. "Let’s go to a concert together next time, hmm?"

"I cried last night, but not too much," she continued quietly. "I was a little sad, but not too sad. But I will be if you stay here for too long. So don’t stay here that long, okay?"

Ashley drew a deep breath and exhaled heavily, her heart still thudding against her chest.

"As for everything, I will handle it." She nodded. "They said even when someone is in a coma, they can still hear. So if you’re hearing me, Lucian, I will take care of everything. You can rest as much as you need, but also... I’d really love to hear that you’re awake. I would... really love that."

She paused as the tension in her throat tightened. "Primo is also okay. I will not let anyone touch him. We’ll hold out... for as long as I can. So wake up, okay?"

"Let’s not part like this, Lucian," she pressed her lips together. "I still want to tell you some things."

All the things she wanted to hear from him, and all the things she wanted to tell him.

Ashley lifted his hand to her lips, leaving a long kiss against it. Then, she pressed it against her cheek while staring at him quietly.

"I will come back once everything is settled," she whispered. "But I told the doctor that I would call. They can arrange a video call, so I can still talk to you while I’m out there."

She huffed softly again.

"I already miss you, Lucian," she whispered, her eyes drooping. "Wake up and tell me you did too, okay?"

Her eyes squinted. "For now, I will be a pain in the ass. So everyone will start praying you wake up to get me off their case."

*****

Lukas paced back and forth inside Doctor Wesley’s office, touching his neck as he stretched it. Inside the office were Gustav on the couch and Doctor Wesley in the armchair.

"What’s the point of us being here?" Lukas scoffed as he stopped walking and turned to the other two. "Gustav, I don’t care about whatever you’re thinking, but to stop everything we’re doing just because she said so?"

He shook his head, irritation clear on his face. "I shouldn’t have come."

"You are the master’s left hand, and you mostly handle the business operations," Gustav argued calmly. "Since it already came to this, even if we find a compatible donor now, it will still take time for the operation and his recovery."

He looked at Lukas sternly. "This news has probably already reached the High Chamber as we speak. Even if we try to stop it, this situation is too big to keep secret."

Lukas ground his teeth, but before he could bark back, the door creaked open.

Lukas, Gustav, and Doctor Wesley turned toward the door. There, they saw Ashley walking in so casually that it was as if she were about to close a business deal.

"Madam," Doctor Wesley rose to his feet and marched toward her.

Seeing his reaction, Lukas scrunched up his nose. But instead of sitting on the couch, Ashley took Doctor Wesley’s seat. The doctor paused for a second, his brows raising slightly in surprise because he only knew one person who often stole his seat.

Lucian.

Meanwhile, Lukas and Gustav frowned because her choice of seat implied something to them. However, neither of them said anything as Doctor Wesley sat on the couch across from Gustav. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Let’s cut to the chase," she spoke as soon as the doctor sat down, not even sparing Lukas a glance despite him still standing in the room. "Doctor Wesley, you said my husband has a terminal illness, and that there is no cure for it."

Doctor Wesley cleared his throat. "Yes. Right now, the transplant is our only option."

"Did you schedule him?"

"No. To schedule him, we need a donor first—"

"Schedule it," Ashley cut him off. "It’s the Black Dragon. We can use that privilege without the hassle of all this paperwork, am I correct?"

Doctor Wesley opened and closed his mouth, and before he could say anything, she added,

"One of the top financial donors to this hospital is the Black Dragon Corporation," she said, her eyes locked directly on his. "Do not let us resort to blackmail or force, Doctor Wesley. Say that to the higher-ups... or do I need to talk to them myself?"

"You do not have to do that, Madam," Doctor Wesley almost stuttered. "The operation is already approved. I will schedule it. However, I need a timeline."

"Schedule it, and keep rescheduling it if you must," Ashley shifted her gaze to Gustav. "Just make sure the person who will perform the transplant is available at the drop of a hat."

Without dwelling on the subject further, she continued, this time addressing Gustav.

"Have you found a match?"

Gustav’s brows knitted slightly as he studied her before answering, "Yes, but the compatibility is too low."

"And you?" Finally, she snapped her eyes toward Lukas. "Did you find a match?"

Lukas scoffed, running his tongue along his inner cheek. "What kind of game are you playing now? Do you think acting smart will make you look like somebody?"

"Somebody...?" Ashley repeated, her brows rising slightly as she briefly glanced at Gustav and Doctor Wesley.

Although Doctor Wesley frowned, he was in no position to argue further with them. Meanwhile, Gustav could stop Lukas, but he would only do that for Lucian.

None of these people were ever here to protect her.

Ashley knew that from the bottom of her heart.

Aside from Betty, Nolan, those four abductors, Lucian, and Primo, no one was truly on her side inside Dominion.

Ashley placed her hand on the armrest and pushed herself to her feet. As soon as she stood up, Gustav and Doctor Wesley furrowed their brows and looked up at her.

She sauntered toward Lukas, who stood there with a smug smirk.

Then—

SLAP!