My Second Marriage with the Mafia Kingpin-Chapter 12: The Super Bitch

"Should we go on a date?"

Say yes, say yes.

Ashley was already nodding as she asked the question, as if she already knew he wouldn’t say no. But Lucian simply stared at her bright smile before Gustav’s voice shattered the lively imaginary background music playing in her head.

"Master, they’re waiting."

"Huh?" The tips of her ears twitched as she whipped her head toward Gustav.

The latter stood a few steps away, his expression cold as usual. But it seemed even colder when his gaze drifted toward her for a brief moment.

Lucian nodded at him and then placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her slightly until there was enough distance between them.

"I won’t be joining you for breakfast," he said, his tone cold and distant as always. "Tell Nolan if you want to summon some designers."

With that, he turned toward Gustav and walked away without looking back.

Ashley’s lips slowly curved downward as she watched his back disappear.

I was almost sure he would agree...

Her thoughts halted when she briefly caught the glint that flickered in Gustav’s eyes before he followed his boss.

Ashley pressed her lips into a thin line, staring at Gustav’s retreating back.

That wasn’t just a glare from Lucian’s right-hand man.

That was a warning.

"Of course, he’d warn me," she muttered, clasping her hands behind her back before huffing sharply. "I forgot Lu isn’t the only problem here."

If anything, Lucian was the easiest target for her. He might be the most dangerous man in Dominion, but he was also the most lenient toward her.

Those around him were the real problem.

To them, she was nothing but a nuisance in their organization. A parasite clinging to their boss.

Someone who should’ve died long ago.

They believed that if she were gone, whatever spell she had cast on Lucian would finally break.

"Yesterday, I didn’t know what to do because I wasn’t even sure if this was just my life flashing before my eyes while I was on the verge of death," she hummed, tilting her head up toward the sky as she idled in the driveway, gathering her thoughts.

"But now that I’m certain..." She rubbed the back of her neck and stretched it sideways, her head throbbing faintly. "I’m a little stressed."

Where do I even begin?

Ashley squinted at the bright sky and raised a hand to shield her eyes. Just then...

"Madam," Nolan called.

She whipped her head toward him and immediately smiled, skipping toward the house.

"Coming~!"

*****

The marriage between Ashley and Lucian had been a long time in the making in Dominion.

From what she remembered, the marriage had originally been arranged between Lucian and Marshal’s legitimate daughter.

But that woman had refused the moment she heard Lucian described as a balding old man hanging on by the last thread of his life.

There was no way she would marry him.

So instead, they sent Marshal’s spare daughter.

Ashley.

But the real problem wasn’t the marriage itself.

It was everything that followed.

The Di Carpio family and Dominion had always been at odds, so no one in Dominion had any reason to trust her. And her actions during the first few months of the marriage—along with Marshal’s attempt to disarm Dominion—had completely sealed her fate here.

If not for Lucian, Ashley would have died a long time ago.

Whether at Gustav’s hands... or anyone else’s.

In my previous life, I was shunned and ostracized in my own home. Even the maids bullied me openly.

Ashley’s gaze slid to the side as Nolan poured Primo a glass of juice across from her.

Nolan tried to defend me... even though I disappointed Lucian countless times. And in the end, he died protecting Primo and me.

A dull bitterness crept into her chest.

Back then, she could have saved him. But Dominion had looked so monstrous in her eyes that she refused to help until the very end.

Talk about being a bitch.

Ashley truly had been a super bitch.

"Madam, would you like some juice as well?"

Her thoughts halted when Nolan spoke, now standing beside her chair.

She looked up and smiled.

"Sure," she said lightly. "Thanks, Nolan."

A brief look of surprise crossed Nolan’s face before he smiled back and nodded. He poured her a glass and stepped away.

The dining room fell into silence as Ashley and Primo continued eating.

Primo finished his food quietly. But every now and then, he peeked at her.

Ashley sat across from him, eating heartily, as if the food in front of her was the most delicious thing in the world.

He stared for a moment before quickly looking away, only to realize she had already caught him.

"Hey."

Primo flinched and slowly lifted his head.

"Do you have a tutoring class today?" she asked. She waited a few seconds, then nodded on her own. "Okay!"

Primo pressed his lips together as he watched her take another big bite, her eyes squinting in satisfaction.

Yesterday suddenly flashed through his mind.

She had spent the entire day in his room: playing, raging, and being noisy.

And then Lucian dragged her away.

"..."

He lowered his head again and quietly continued eating.

*****

Primo was only eight years old.

As long as he could remember, he had always been homeschooled.

His tutors were the best of the best, but Lucian had recently decided that Primo should experience real school life.

So he was being prepared for it.

Primo hugged a notebook and his pencil case against his chest. As he walked away from his room, he paused.

His head slowly turned toward the couch where Ashley had been sitting yesterday.

He exhaled quietly.

That was probably the first time she had been there... and the last.

Not that he liked her.

If anything, she was a nuisance. Just like she was in his father’s life.

And Primo preferred it if she stayed far away from his life.

Still...

He couldn’t deny that time had passed very quickly while playing with her.

Shaking his head, Primo continued walking toward the library and returned to his usual routine: study, eat, study again. Simple.

He never complained about it. It was normal: quiet, peaceful, boring.

After finishing his private lessons, Primo returned to his room to read or take a nap before dinner.

But the moment he opened the door....

Click. Click. Click. Click.

A rapid clicking sound came from inside.

"Hmm?" His brows knitted.

Quietly, he stepped inside and turned toward the couch.

There, Ashley was already sitting there, playing.

Confusion quickly spread across his face.

Why was she here again?

Didn’t Lucian warn her already?

"Oh?" Ashley looked over her shoulder and casually pointed finger guns at him.

"You’re back?" she said brightly. "Come quickly! I found a way to beat you this time!"

Her grin stretched from ear to ear, practically glowing.

Primo froze for a moment, his eyes widening slightly. Then he pressed his lips together, dropped his things on the floor, and walked forward to face his nuisance of a challenger.