Chapter 162: To My Wife
[Nolan:
Master, I understand the importance of your presence during the Young Master and his mother’s time together. However, with all due respect, the madam has been completely alone.]
Lucian read Nolan’s message three times, tilting his head.
Nolan had never sent him a message like this, regardless of the hour. But just reading it, he could tell the man was upset.
"Why does he sound upset?" he whispered, confused.
Curious, Lucian checked his message thread with Ashley, only to find she hadn’t responded to him. She had, however, left a heart on Primo’s photo — the one he sent simply because he didn’t want her worrying about the boy.
He had thought sending a picture of Primo would make her smile.
"Working again? Even on your phone?"
Emma’s voice came from behind him.
Lucian glanced back, catching her sauntering toward the coffee table to pour herself a glass of wine. She walked over to him and stopped at his side.
"Primo’s asleep," she said with a smile. "Such a cute boy."
Emma let out a soft breath and took a sip of wine before turning her gaze to the city. "He’s also very mature. I didn’t know kids his age could be that sharp. I suppose that’s what happens when he grows up in your care."
Lucian looked at Emma without expression, then turned away and slipped his phone into his suit pocket.
Emma pursed her lips, studying him — standing so tall and composed. Even the way he held his whiskey was elegant and domineering.
"Haha," she chuckled, looking away and crossing her arms. "You haven’t changed, Luka. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad one."
She drew a slow breath. "Even so, I’m truly grateful you gave me this chance. I kept trying to reach you all these years, and it was never easy."
Still, Lucian said nothing, his gaze fixed in one direction.
When Emma glanced at him, she noticed it — the way his eyes hadn’t moved. She tilted her head, following his line of sight, and hummed.
"Isn’t that where Dominion is staying right now?" she mused. "Haha. Dominion is Dominion, Luka. You don’t need to worry so much about your men."
Still no answer.
Another stretch of silence settled between them as they both looked out in the same direction, drinks in hand.
At last, she broke it.
"Luka, I’m sorry," she whispered. "And thank you... for taking care of Primo even when you didn’t have to."
Emma turned to him, smiling bitterly. "You had to be a father to him even when his own mother couldn’t take care of herself, and his own father walked away. Thank you, Luka, for protecting my son... from me."
Lucian still said nothing, as though he wasn’t listening at all.
"If I prove that I can be a mother to him, will you... let me back in permanently?" She asked, her voice careful and hopeful. "I won’t screw it up this time, I promise. And if Primo is in my care, you won’t have to worry about him anymore. I mean, you became a father out of nowhere."
Emma smiled at him. "I really want to be present for him," she added. "I’ll focus on Primo, and you... you should find a wife. I know you’ve always said you’d never marry, but —"
"She’s home."
"Huh?"
"My wife," he said, his voice low and quiet. "She’s home."
Deep lines formed on Emma’s face. "You... have a wife?" she asked, and that finally drew his gaze to hers. "When did you —"
Emma trailed off as the memory surfaced: the young woman in that little house. The one she had assumed was a maid.
"Oh no," she covered her mouth.
"Her name is Ashley," Lucian said, looking away again. "And she’s my wife."
Emma blinked, staring at him in disbelief. "Really? You actually got... married?"
To her surprise, something tender flickered in his eyes at the mention of Ashley’s name. A look Emma never thought she would live to see on this man’s face.
This was Lucian, after all.
Lucian De Luca, the don of Dominion.
When Emma recovered, she couldn’t help herself. "Pft —!"
"Goodness, Luka! You should have told me right away!" she clicked her tongue. "If she’s your wife, why am I only hearing this now? And why haven’t you been bringing her along with us?"
Emma shook her head and sighed.
"Seriously, you." She sighed again. "My baby brother is married, and I didn’t even know. To make it worse, I mistook my own sister-in-law for a maid."
"What a shame I missed the wedding," she said, lowering her gaze, her smile turning bitter. "I hope she doesn’t hate me for it. Wait — does she know I’m your sister?"
"She doesn’t need to."
"What?"
"It’s shameful," Lucian said quietly. "What we are."
He paused as he added, "She doesn’t deserve to get dragged into this."
The smile faded from her face. "Luka, what are you —"
"You are selfish," he said coldly. "I am not the only one who hasn’t changed — you haven’t either."
"Emma, would you want to take care of Primo if I told you I’d cut off your allowance?" He continued in the same flat tone.
Her lips parted, but in the end, her voice didn’t come out.
Lucian looked her dead in the eye, nodding. "If you truly want to be a mother to Primo, get out of our lives. Forever."
With that, he straightened and drew himself to his full height, staring down at her.
"I gave you this chance so you could end it yourself," he added. "Don’t forget why I took him away from you. Primo would have died while his mother was high on drugs."
Having said that, Lucian turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Emma standing alone as tears welled in her eyes.
Mid-step, he stopped as he remembered Nolan’s random message.
"Gustav will be with you tomorrow."
"Where are you going?"
He didn’t look back this time.
"Home," he said. "To my wife."