"Gustav, walk me out."

Ashley’s eyes studied Gustav from head to toe before she walked off.

Gustav stood rooted in place, his throat bobbing up and down before he let out a deep exhale. Without glancing at Lukas or Doctor Wesley, he stepped forward and followed her.

Meanwhile, Doctor Wesley watched Gustav reach the door. Once it closed behind him, he found himself discreetly looking at Lukas. He bit his tongue, flinching when Lukas glared at him.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Lukas snapped before stomping away.

Doctor Wesley could only watch as Lukas walked out, fuming with anger. He lowered his head slightly, wincing as the door slammed shut with a loud bang. Only when silence followed did Doctor Wesley look up at the door and let out a sharp exhale.

"That’s the first time I’ve seen someone put him in his place," he muttered to himself, biting his tongue to stop himself from smiling. "It’s satisfying, though."

Doctor Wesley chuckled because Lukas had also been getting on his nerves. Though he understood the situation, the doctor was only human. He wasn’t a saint, so he still felt irritation. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"No," he shook his head. "I have to send the master’s records to the madam."

Having said that, he lightly slapped his own cheeks before rushing to the desk to get the job done.

He had heard many things about Ashley, but what he had seen was the only thing he trusted now. He didn’t want to get on her bad side.

"I knew it," he told himself as he gathered all of Lucian’s medical records. "His wife is not as naive as everyone said. The Master’s taste isn’t that bad."

*****

Meanwhile, Gustav jogged to catch up with Ashley. She hadn’t gone far, so it was only a short distance.

Unlike where Lucian was staying, this floor was barely guarded. Even so, Gustav had already placed guards at every corner. He had also ordered some of his men to disguise themselves as staff.

Once Gustav reached her, he glanced at her. He walked one step behind her, studying her and waiting for her to tell him the reason she had called him over. Much to his dismay, a minute passed, and she still hadn’t said anything.

"What do you need?" he asked, breaking the silence. But she didn’t answer. "About Lukas..."

He trailed off, his eyes shifting to her figure.

"He’s just highly emotional at the moment. So—"

"If the left hand is getting too emotional at times like this, it’s best to cut him off rather than let him become deadweight," she answered without missing a beat, slowing down, or looking back at him.

Ashley remained silent until she stopped in front of the elevator.

"Instead of making excuses for him, I’d rather you spend that energy keeping him on the right track."

"Because if everyone just uses the excuse of being emotional, then I might end up killing him using that same sorry excuse," she added, watching the numbers above the elevator. "We are in a crisis—the very thing Lucian feared most. That is why he kept his condition a secret, because he knew the reality his people would face if he fell."

She glanced at him.

"Unless you decide to be on the same page as me, don’t get in this elevator. I will not take it personally, but I will take it as the end of my husband’s responsibility to you, and the end of your obligations to his family."

Having said that, the elevator chimed softly before the doors slowly parted. Once they were fully open, Ashley stepped in without hesitation.

She turned to face Gustav, who was still standing outside.

Without changing her expression, she didn’t wait for him and pressed the close button.

As for Gustav, he stared at her before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Damn it," he breathed out.

When he snapped his eyes open, he saw the doors closing.

Gustav swiftly stretched out his arm and placed it between the elevator doors. They parted once again. He huffed faintly before stepping inside and standing behind her.

Ashley arched a brow and glanced at him.

"I hope you understand what it means to be here, Gustav. Don’t fumble on me."

Gustav scoffed and looked at her with a conflicted expression.

Of course, he knew what it meant.

She had given him a chance to decide whether he wanted to act independently or acknowledge that she would be acting on Lucian’s behalf. She didn’t need to say that directly.

Besides, everything she said in the office was nothing but facts. Aside from her, Lukas and Gustav were the ones in the greatest danger at the moment. And the last thing Gustav wanted was to see her surrender to the High Chamber.

"We are in a crisis," he said honestly, raising his chin and standing at his full height. "Although my opinion of you has not changed, I understand this is the time to set our differences aside."

Ashley nodded before finally turning to face him.

Gustav briefly arched a brow as she faced him squarely.

"What?" he asked. "My opinions do not change easily."

Ashley didn’t answer. Instead, she shifted her gaze to the CCTV camera above.

"That thing over there isn’t working at the moment."

Gustav furrowed his brows as he looked at the camera, only to realize the red light was off.

"Since you and I agreed to set aside our differences, here’s what you’re going to do," she started, finally looking back at him. "I want you to heighten the security in the hospital."

"The security is already high," he said. "Some staff members are our men in disguise."

"Double it," she replied without hesitation, turning her back to him. "Or perhaps triple it. Make it obvious that someone very important is in this hospital. Also, set up a small office here. Preferably near Doctor Wesley’s office."

Gustav furrowed his brows, but what he heard next confused him even more.

"Then transfer Lucian to a different facility. Make sure no one knows about it except you. Khan will assist you."

"Khan?" Gustav frowned. "How can I trust a man like him when he once carried ill intentions toward Dominion?"

"Trust?" Ashley glanced at him. "You don’t have to trust him. All you need to do is follow what I say."

His frown deepened, but even though Ashley expected Gustav to follow her orders without question, she still explained things in the simplest way possible.

"Are you saying I have to trust Dominion, when in this situation, Dominion has proven to be just another battle I have to win?"

She snapped her eyes toward the door, glancing at the number above it.

"Don’t make me laugh, Gustav. Compared to those four, it’s easier to doubt them than people already inside Dominion. Relationships and history are the very things that make people ignore the signs."

She paused as her eyes sharpened.

"I am not making the same mistake," she said, looking at him once more. "You shouldn’t either."

DING!

With that, the doors parted, and she walked out without looking back.

Gustav remained inside, watching her figure until the doors slowly slid shut.

His brows tightened as the automated voice in the elevator instructed him to press a floor button.

"How..." he trailed off, finally pressing the open button and stepping out.

But as soon as he did, Ashley was already inside a car, driving away.

Gustav stared at the rear of the vehicle, confusion clear on his face.

"... is she the same person?"