My Second Marriage with the Mafia Kingpin novel Chapter 303

Chapter 303: Catch these guys

"Huh?"

Ashley, Raka, and Julius sat in one of the classroom cafe booths. Raka’s face twisted as he listened to Ashley’s story about Lucian.

Julius, on the other hand, could only stare at her in shock.

Both of them knew that someone had "fainted" last night, but neither was aware that it involved vomiting and coughing up blood.

"Wait," Raka raised a hand in front of Ashley’s face. "Did you say idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?"

Ashley nodded. "Yes."

"And it’s end-stage?" he asked again.

She nodded.

To both her and Julius’s surprise, Raka suddenly slapped the table between them.

Ashley flinched as she watched his expression twist.

"I am amazing as I am, but I’m not God," he said. "If it’s only in the early stages, maybe I can help him with my research. But end-stage? You shouldn’t even be here. You should be by his side, holding his hand."

"Is it that bad?" Julius asked, earning a look from both of them. "I know it’s bad, but is it like... cancer-type bad?"

Raka deadpanned. "Why are you even here? You’re not contributing anything."

Julius raised his hands in surrender while Ashley sighed heavily.

"It is worse in terms of prognosis." Raka leaned back, picked up his lemonade, and sipped through the straw. "Cancer in that area can be just as aggressive and carry a poor survival rate. But what this woman’s husband has is permanent scarring in the lungs that cannot be reversed."

"But aren’t you working on a miracle drug?" Ashley blurted out, making Raka frown even deeper.

"Call my research a failure, and I’ll make your life a living hell," he warned before she could continue. "Don’t even try."

Not that Ashley had planned to.

She came looking for Raka because that underground quack had sent Raka’s research facility to Omen. She had hoped there was a connection—or that there was something Raka could do.

"I’m sorry, okay?" Raka leaned against the table. "I don’t like you or your husband, but I do feel bad for him."

Since Ashley had told him about Lucian’s condition, Raka even felt guilty for the way he had treated him before.

Lucian might be annoying, but there were lines Raka wouldn’t cross.

"But my drug—even if I’m confident in it—can’t reverse that kind of damage. It can’t revive lungs that are already failing," he added. "What my drug does is fight diseases before they progress any further. But this?"

His voice softened as he shook his head. "I’m sorry. Believe me or not, I’m really sorry."

Ashley stared at him, her lips pressed into a tight line.

"And a transplant is the only way?" she asked.

Raka nodded.

"Based on what you’ve told me, it sounds like it," he replied. He then sighed heavily and met her gaze. "Look. I know this is hard, but if I were you, I’d stay by his side."

Ashley could only stare at him, her heart sinking a little further.

It wasn’t as though she had high hopes, but it was still demoralizing to hear even Raka say there was no hope for Lucian.

"Is... that so?"

*****

Minutes later, Julius and Raka walked side by side through the hallway.

Ashley had left after asking a few more questions, while Julius stayed behind for some reason.

As for Raka, he remained quiet until they heard the announcement that the concert was about to start.

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