Chapter 552: Rot Behind Bars

“Black Dragon.”

Lucian faltered. Surprise flickered across his face, but only for a fraction of a second. He continued toward the house as though he hadn’t heard anything.

Julius studied Lucian’s retreating figure.

An innocent man might ignore the name because it meant nothing to him.

Unfortunately, the Black Dragon himself might react the same way simply to avoid raising suspicion.

“Is that really you, Lucian?” Julius raised his voice, finally stopping him. “Are you… the Black Dragon of Dominion?”

Lucian looked back at him. His expression had already returned to its usual unreadable state, his voice as calm as still water.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Julius returned with certainty. “I didn’t say it because I expected an answer. I only wanted to confirm my suspicions.”

Lucian furrowed his brows and turned to face him fully.

“As I said, coming here tonight is a favor—for the sake of our children’s friendship,” Julius continued. “Tell your wife I came looking for her. Advise her to contact me. She has my number, and I’ll keep my line open.”

With that, Julius turned and walked back to the police vehicle.

Meanwhile, Lucian remained by the gate, watching the vehicle’s red taillights disappear into the darkness. The distant hum of its engine gradually faded, leaving the neighborhood silent once more.

Only then did he consider why Julius had arrived in a police vehicle.

It wouldn’t stop Dominion from shooting it down if necessary. However, it would make the people guarding the neighborhood hesitate. A police vehicle passing through could easily be mistaken for a routine patrol, and reporting it might draw unnecessary attention.

It wouldn’t be the first time a marked vehicle had slipped past their defenses.

“He’s investigating Dominion,” Lucian whispered, his gaze fixed on the empty street.

He didn’t know how long he stood there. The cool night air brushed against his skin before he finally returned inside.

His plan to prepare food for Ashley completely slipped his mind. Instead, he found himself sitting on the couch, elbows resting on his knees as he sank deep into thought.

“Lucian?”

Lucian snapped out of his daze at the sound of Ashley’s voice. He looked up and found his wife standing a few steps away, staring at him in confusion.

Ashley’s gaze shifted between him and the darkened kitchen. She immediately noticed that no food had been prepared. Not that she minded, but knowing Lucian, it wasn’t something he would simply forget.

“Right.” He rose to his feet. “The food.”

“It’s alright.” Ashley reached for him and held his arm. “Is everything okay? I walked in and found you looking like you were planning a massacre.”

Lucian swallowed and held her gaze. “Didn’t you see my message?”

“Message? No. I fell asleep on the way.”

As she spoke, she reached into her bag for her phone.

Before she could check it, Lucian said, “Julius was here.”

Ashley froze. Her brows slowly knitted together as she lifted her gaze to his.

“Julius?”

He nodded. “And he already knows about me.”

Her breath caught as a heavy thud struck her chest.

“He was looking for you, though,” Lucian added. “He said he needed to discuss something with you, but he wouldn’t tell me what.”

Ashley pursed her lips and lowered her gaze, her mind racing through every possible scenario.

As far as she knew, Julius shouldn’t even know about this neighborhood. The last time she had spoken with him, Julius had driven her and Primo to a bus stop—and that stop was in the opposite direction from here.

More importantly, he knew about Lucian.

“What could he possibly need to discuss with me?” she whispered, meeting Lucian’s gaze again. “Surely, this isn’t about a school project.”

Lucian shrugged. “I’ll look into it. We don’t know what he’s thinking, but it’s best to plan ahead.”

“God.” Ashley pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just when it feels like we’re finally moving forward, something else drags us back.”

She had finally brought Omen to their side. Lucian had already identified several suspicious members of his board. He was keeping Dominion at bay. For the first time in a while, they had a clear plan for dealing with their problems.

And now Julius had joined the party.

There was no point wondering whether he was an ally or an enemy. They knew Julius, and they knew his spotless reputation. He was a man with absolutely no tolerance for anyone involved in the criminal underworld.

The real question was…

What would Julius do now that he knew Lucian was the Black Dragon of Dominion—and Ashley was the Madam?

******

At the same time, Julius drove along the highway in complete silence. Even the radio was switched off. The steady drone of the engine filled the vehicle as streetlights swept across his hardened face.

His eyes remained on the road, but his mind kept replaying his brief conversation with Lucian.

“Black Dragon,” he whispered, narrowing his eyes. “How?”

In truth, Julius didn’t want to believe it.

He knew Lucian and Ashley. He couldn’t confidently call them close friends, but there was a mutual understanding between them. He still remembered seeing the couple at the school event.

They had looked nothing like the criminals Dominion was believed to be.

They had simply been parents willing to take part in a children’s school event for their son.

Then again, mafia families had always possessed a twisted attachment to the idea of family. They spoke endlessly about blood, loyalty, and protecting their own—all while massacring innocent people for personal gain.

“If it’s true…”

Julius’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel, the leather creaking beneath his grip.

His jaw clenched as memories of his fallen men flashed through his mind. He remembered their faces. The wails of their families when he delivered the news. The curses hurled at him by grieving people who had nowhere else to direct their rage.

His breathing turned heavy, each breath burning inside his chest.

Eventually, his shoulders eased, but the fury in his eyes remained.

“I’ll make sure they both rot behind bars.”