Chapter 54: Elope
For all the years Nolan had lived, this was the first ti he had to line up in such a blockbuster queue.
"Madam," he whispered, lowering his head slightly as he stood beside Ashley. "Are you sure we’re lining up for the right thing?"
Ashley glanced at him, and he nodded. "I asked a hundred tis, and they all said it was this."
Both of them stared at each other in pure horror before shifting their attention to the line ahead. They had already split up to line up in both queues, as it was the smarter choice—raising their chances of getting their hands on the ga Primo wanted.
Neither of them had expected the line for such a ga to be this long.
"No wonder he wanted this ga..." she whispered. "It seems it’s actually that precious."
This line alone told them everything.
"Nolan, stay in your lane," she said seriously. "This might take forever."
Nolan nodded with determination, but just like she said, it might take them the entire day just to reach the counter.
It’s alright, he told himself. I can just explain everything to the master.
With that thought in mind, Nolan glanced at her and offered a short smile. Ashley stood in her lane, stretching her neck, clearly a little worried.
But when Nolan looked away, Ashley slid her gaze toward him. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she exhaled deeply before looking ahead, a faint glint flickering in her eyes.
*****
anwhile, sowhere else in the world...
Silence filled the room, with the four people inside not saying a word. Gustav stood behind Lucian.
Across from them sat Marshal and his infamous hellhound, Scott.
Lucian stared at the slightly plump man seated across from him. Marshal’s slightly long hair was brushed back, the ends reaching his nape. Tattoos covered nearly every visible part of his skin—especially on the backs of his plump hands and his neck—hinting that beneath his tailored suit, there was even more ink.
Marshal wiped his greasy lips with a white cloth, clicking his tongue against his teeth instead of using a toothpick.
"So, it seems it’s true that Dominion got a new powerful ally," he broke the silence lightly. "I haven’t congratulated you yet, but good work, son."
Gustav’s expression darkened with each word, but Lucian’s remained unchanged.
"The trade routes you asked for," Lucian replied, completely ignoring Marshal’s tone. "Unfortunately, Dominion cannot grant you access to the ones you ntioned."
Marshal’s smile faltered slightly, while Lucian remained indifferent.
"However, I can offer you these routes." Lucian raised a hand, prompting Gustav to step forward.
On cue, Gustav placed the folder in his boss’s hand, which Lucian slid calmly across the table.
Curiosity flickered in Marshal’s eyes as he reached for the folder and skimd through the proposal. Soon, the corners of his mouth curled into a sneer.
"Haha..." he chuckled under his breath. "This bastard... do you think offering these routes is enough? These aren’t even Dominion’s."
Displeasure rose in his eyes, but before he could say more, Lucian spoke.
"Dominion will deal with the Marcelos," he stated with certainty. "Not long ago, they conspired with others to launch an attack on Dominion."
Lucian kept his gaze steady on Marshal, his tone firm. "The original routes you wanted are currently controlled by the Black Dragons of the triads, who are known for never backing down from a fight. Entering their territory for the sa business is a declaration of war."
And although Dominion did not fear war, Lucian’s leadership differed from the previous don’s. It wasn’t about choosing peace—it was about avoiding unnecessary trouble when better options existed.
"They’re also known for targeting their enemies’ associates first," Lucian added. "Before they co for us, they would go after the Di Carpios."
Marshal raised a brow, listening carefully.
"I find it unnecessary when these routes I’m offering will give you better access and still reach the areas you want."
"You’re going to deal with the Marcelos?" Marshal asked.
"Yes."
"Hah!" As if a switch had flipped, Marshal burst into laughter. "Good, good! If that’s the case, these routes are fine with !"
His laughter filled the room, but no one joined him—not even his right-hand man, Scott.
Once he cald down, Marshal leaned forward and smiled. "By the way, Lucian, how’s my daughter? Has she behaved? Or is she still causing trouble?"
Lucian didn’t answer. He simply rose to his feet, adjusting his blazer.
"That concludes the conditions I’ve fulfilled for our agreent," Lucian said coldly. "I’ll excuse myself."
With that, he walked away, Gustav silently following behind him.
As they passed the table, Marshal smirked.
"Mr. De Luca," he called, slowing Lucian’s steps. "That daughter of mine can be quite a handful. Just let
know if she misbehaves again. I’ll deal with her myself. She’s stubborn—slow, even—but pain always gets through to her."
Gustav paused when Lucian stopped.
"Master," he whispered, watching Lucian glance back.
Lucian rarely looked back at the people he dealt with. And when he did... it never ended well.
Marshal maintained his smile. "I’m just saying—she’s given
plenty of headaches before."
"Madam," Lucian finally spoke.
"Huh?"
"She is no longer your daughter the day she married into Dominion, Marshal." Lucian straightened, his gaze cold. One hand slipped into his pocket as he tilted his head slightly.
"The woman you speak of so lightly is the Madam of Dominion," he continued. "And Dominion will not take it lightly if you run your mouth again."
Marshal’s face twitched, his fist trembling on the table. Gustav lowered his head to hide his shock, while Scott frowned slightly, clearly not expecting such a response.
"You’ve been warned, Marshal. There will be no next ti," Lucian said. "Control your greed."
With that, Lucian turned and left, Gustav following after a brief pause.
The mont they stepped out, Marshal slamd his fist on the table.
"That fucking bastard," he snarled. "Did he just threaten ? ? Marshal Di Carpio?"
"Boss," Scott said calmly, lowering his head. "Please don’t make any rash moves."
Marshal glared at him. "What did you say?"
"The trade routes Dominion offered are more valuable than his arrogance," Scott replied. "Besides, what he said is true. Miss Ashley is no longer part of the Di Carpio family. She now belongs to Dominion."
In other words, whether Dominion killed her or not was no longer their concern.
"Tch." Marshal clicked his tongue. "Bastard."
He grabbed his glass of wine and drained it in one go.
"Fine," he muttered. "Forget that arrogant brat. One day, this world will remind him why people like
survive this long. For now..."
He picked up the folder and laughed. "I’ll make use of that son of a bitch to my heart’s content."
*****
anwhile, as Lucian stepped out of the establishnt where his n and vehicles were waiting, a voice suddenly called out.
"Lucian!"
His steps slowed near one of the guards holding the car door open. He turned and saw Isabella approaching, only to be stopped by security.
"Lucian, can we talk?" she asked, drawing everyone’s attention. "I have so things to discuss with you."
As expected, Lucian showed no interest. The guards were about to turn her away when she spoke again.
"It’s about Ashley."
That made everyone pause.
"I have to talk to you about Ashley."
Sothing shifted in Lucian’s eyes—subtle, but unmistakable. Still, he turned back toward the car.
He had just stepped in when she shouted,
"She’s going to try to leave again tonight!" Isabella yelled.
And that finally caught Lucian’s full attention.
Not just his—but everyone from Dominion froze on the spot.
Seeing everyone’s reaction, Isabella added, "She’s going to elope with June!"
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