My Second Marriage with the Mafia Kingpin novel Chapter 285

Chapter 285: Why Should I Stay?

Ashley stood beside Lucian’s bed, dressed in a gown with a mask covering half her face. Her hair was tucked beneath a bouffant cap.

The mechanical rhythm of his heartbeat echoed throughout the ICU room. Her eyes swept over the machines and wires attached to him. They had placed him on oxygen because his lungs were failing.

Even though he still looked almost the same as when he slept peacefully, his complexion was far too pale.

The palest she had ever seen in her life.

Ashley bit down hard on her lip behind the mask. A lump lodged itself in her throat, and no matter how many times she swallowed, it refused to disappear. She stared at him in utter disbelief, unable to accept seeing her husband in such a state.

Just an hour ago, Lucian had been playing those silly games with her.

He had even led their team to victory with his ridiculous strategies.

So how was she supposed to believe that only an hour later, someone would tell her he didn’t have long left to live?

That he had been dying this whole time?

How could any of this make sense when Lucian always looked perfectly fine?

But then her mind replayed the image of him dragging himself into that corner alone—suffering silently while suppressing pain so well that even she never noticed.

And every time that thought crossed her mind, her heart cracked a little more.

"Why..."

The corners of her eyes reddened as she fought back the tears threatening to fall. Her throat bobbed with a hard swallow, though her breathing remained uneven.

"Lucian..." she whispered, her fingertips brushing against his. "...is this why?"

Was this the answer to why she always felt as though he was running out of time?

If so, then everything finally made sense.

Why, in her first life, Lucian had desperately pushed her to build something for herself outside the underground world.

Why, even in this life, he still insisted on pushing her toward a future beyond Dominion.

It finally made sense why he worried so obsessively about the future. Even when he seemed paranoid, he constantly tried to resolve problems before they could happen.

Because Lucian knew he didn’t have much time left.

He had always known his days were numbered.

While Ashley laughed, wasted time, and did every ridiculous thing she could think of—while she kissed him, hugged him, looked at him, and held his hand so selfishly—she never realized that inside, he was slowly dying.

Even then, while she plotted her escape and hurt him with both her words and actions, she failed to see the man hidden behind the untouchable mask he showed everyone else.

And in the end...

He still managed to whisper, I’m sorry.

Sorry for what?

For letting her discover the truth?

For collapsing and exposing the weakness he had worked so hard to hide?

What exactly was that apology for?

Ashley drew in a shaky breath and tilted her head upward, forcing the tears back down.

"I’m not going to cry," she whispered before taking another deep breath as she looked down at him again. "I’m not crying."

Because if she cried, Primo would notice.

And if Primo noticed, he would ask questions.

And if he asked... Ashley had no idea how she was supposed to tell their son that his father was dying.

Lucian had held himself together for as long as he could.

This was the least she could do for him.

Ashley nodded slowly at him.

"Lucian, I warned you before. If you die, I’ll ruin Dominion. I mean that from the bottom of my heart."

"So you should wake up," her voice cracked as she paused briefly, trying to steady herself. "You can’t die yet. Not yet... not like this."

Ashley bit her lip again, forcing a smile despite the tears glistening in her eyes.

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