Chapter 551: Speak With Your Wife

Ashley couldn’t help but smile as she watched the scenery pass through the backseat window.

Throughout the flight, Omen had seethed with anger. The man probably didn’t even know who deserved most of it. Was he furious because Gin and Warriyo had outsmarted him and exposed his location? Or was he more focused on finding Memphis and recovering his items?

Either way, he was on board now.

That was all that mattered.

Buzz… buzz…

Ashley raised her brows and glanced down. The moment she saw Lucian’s name on the screen, her smile deepened.

She answered without hesitation.

“Hey,” she greeted softly.

“Going home now?” Lucian’s calm baritone flowed into her ear.

“Mhm.” She leaned back in her seat. “I sent him to a motel. Red’s taking care of him now.”

“Khan’s with you?”

“Of course.” She glanced toward the driver’s seat, where Khan sat behind the wheel. “You told me not to go anywhere alone, didn’t you?”

A quiet chuckle escaped Lucian, sounding like music to her ears.

Ashley could’ve stayed outside the country instead of traveling back and forth. However, she would much rather sleep in her husband’s arms tonight.

“How was your investigation?” she asked out of habit.

“Alright,” Lucian answered. “Gustav and Lukas are digging into a few things. They noticed some minor problems.”

Normally, issues that small would’ve been ignored. Their goal now, however, was to revisit every minor inconsistency they had previously let pass. Those problems might not be as insignificant as they had initially believed.

“I’ll wait for you,” he continued. “We’ll talk when you get here. Have you eaten?”

“I had a bite.”

“Should I prepare something?”

Ashley hummed, pressing her lips together. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep, but she was also a little hungry.

“I’ll prepare something,” Lucian decided before she could answer. “Let me know when you’re close. You can decide what you want once you’re here.”

Her smile stretched wider. “Okay. See you.”

“Mhm.”

*****

After ending the call, Lucian continued staring at his phone with a faint smile.

He had let her go so she could rest during the drive. He knew she was probably exhausted, but he also knew she hadn’t eaten enough.

“She should be close by now,” he murmured, pushing himself upright from the couch.

However, just as he turned toward the kitchen to reheat some of the home-cooked food they had, the rumble of an approaching vehicle reached his ears.

Lucian raised his brows.

“Already?”

Ashley would’ve told him if she were nearby, but she hadn’t.

Curious, Lucian approached the window. It wasn’t as though he needed to be overly cautious. If anyone had breached the neighborhood, he would’ve known immediately.

He pulled the curtain aside.

His brows furrowed when he spotted a vehicle parked outside their small fence. The rear door opened, and the man who stepped out of the police car was…

Julius.

Julius looked around the quiet neighborhood, a small piece of paper held between his fingers.

He didn’t appear lost.

If anything, he looked like a man confirming that he had found the correct address.

“How did he find this place?” Lucian whispered.

A quiet warning stirred at the back of his mind.

He weighed his options, considering what he should do. But before he could decide, Julius nodded to himself and walked toward the gate.

Lucian couldn’t read his intentions. Nothing was written on the man’s face. But if Julius had come all the way here in the middle of the night, there had to be a reason.

Buzz!

The doorbell echoed through the first floor of their two-story home. It had been designed to be loud enough for the people downstairs to hear without disturbing Primo while he slept upstairs.

Lucian pulled out his phone and sent Ashley a short message.

[Julius is here.]

After sending it, he walked toward the front door and opened it.

Outside, Julius paused at the sound.

The moment the door swung open, he lifted his head and watched a figure step out.

The patio light automatically flickered on, illuminating Lucian’s unreadable expression.

For a moment, the two men simply stared at each other.

Then Lucian approached, stopping one step behind the low gate. He said nothing, silently waiting for Julius to explain why he was there.

“I’m sorry for coming here in the middle of the night,” Julius began with a strained chuckle. “I just needed to… speak with your wife.”

Lucian narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“It’s personal.”

“I take my wife’s business personally,” Lucian returned without hesitation. “She knows that.”

Julius opened his mouth, only to close it again. The faint smile on his face slowly disappeared, replaced by solemnity.

“Is she inside?” he asked.

Lucian didn’t answer.

“I need to discuss something important with your wife,” Julius continued. “And trust me—my decision to come here is a favor to her, not the other way around.”

Lucian studied his grave expression.

He didn’t doubt Julius’s claim. If anything, he believed him completely.

“She’s not here,” he replied flatly. “She left.”

Julius narrowed his eyes.

Before he could ask another question, Lucian reached for the gate and opened it.

“Check if you’re not convinced.”

“There’s no need. I believe you.” Julius shook his head. “Do you know when she’ll return?”

“No.”

“I see.” Julius slowly nodded.

This time, he didn’t believe Lucian, but he understood.

At the end of the day, Julius was also a husband and a father. He knew what it meant to protect one’s wife.

“If that’s all you need, leave.” Lucian turned his back on him.

On the surface, he appeared as calm and indifferent as ever. Deep down, however, unease twisted in his gut.

Julius stood on the side of justice—the side that hunted people like Lucian and Ashley. The fact that he had suddenly appeared here was troubling enough.

The fact that he knew where they lived was worse.

Meanwhile, Julius remained rooted to the same spot, his eyes fixed on Lucian’s retreating figure.

His gaze narrowed as hesitation clawed at him. A second later, he closed his eyes and released a heavy breath.

When he opened them again, a decision had been made.

“Black Dragon.”