My Second Marriage with the Mafia Kingpin novel Chapter 455

Chapter 455: Where Are All The Heroes

Minutes ago...

"Children."

Ophelia’s gentle call caught everyone’s attention.

The room resembled a dormitory, with rows upon rows of bunk beds filling the cramped space. Inside were children ranging from as young as four to their early teens, all dressed in identical tracksuits.

Most of their heads had been shaved clean. Even the child with the longest hair had only a few inches left.

There were no smiles on their faces. Only wariness.

Not a single child looked at ease.

Their gazes quickly shifted toward the person standing behind Ophelia.

There, they saw a beautiful woman.

Ashley.

"Hello." Ashley waved at them with a bright smile.

None of the children smiled back or spoke.

Instead, they slowly rose to their feet as though waiting for orders.

"Children," Ophelia said, walking farther into the room. "It’s all right. The person with me is... someone who won’t harm you."

Still, none of them relaxed.

Ophelia let out a shallow breath before glancing at Ashley.

Ashley didn’t look back at her. Her attention remained on the children staring at her.

She had been here before.

She had once been one of them.

So, she didn’t have to imagine the horrors these children were going through.

Despite the smile on her face, her hands curled into tight fists.

"Children," she called as she approached them.

She stopped a few steps away before bending slightly, resting her hands on her knees to lower herself closer to their level.

Her gaze swept across their faces, and her smile faded ever so slightly.

"Do you want to get out of here?" she asked.

The children immediately shook their heads.

"Miss, we don’t want to leave at all!" one boy shouted.

He quickly stepped forward before dropping to the floor.

The boy bent until his forehead touched the ground, his legs stretched straight behind him while his hands remained fixed against his back.

The other children followed without hesitation.

They lined up and assumed the same position.

"Please don’t make us leave!" they shouted, their foreheads pressed hard against the floor.

Even most adults wouldn’t have been able to hold such a position without years of training.

But these children didn’t even tremble.

Some of them had visible bruises on their faces, yet they held themselves as effortlessly as if breathing.

Ashley’s jaw tightened as she stared at the boy in front.

He was probably around Primo’s age, and that made her tight chest clench more.

She glanced at Ophelia, who met her gaze with a defeated expression.

This was exactly what Ophelia had warned her about.

When Ashley had first explained her plan, the older woman had immediately expressed her concern.

Her exact words had been:

"I don’t think convincing the women will be difficult. We women, have learned to survive and grit our teeth, but that doesn’t mean we’ll ignore an opportunity, no matter how small it is. However, my concern is the children."

Now, Ashley understood what she meant more than anyone.

These children had been conditioned to remain here.

They had already learned at such a young age what would happen if they ever tried to leave the base.

Ashley straightened, keeping her eyes on them.

"Get up," she ordered.

None of them moved.

"I said, get up!"

Her voice rose so sharply that Ophelia flinched.

The older woman’s eyes widened as she instinctively glanced behind her, worried that Ashley’s shout might have echoed beyond the room.

Super... something?

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