My Second Marriage with the Mafia Kingpin

What if...

"Papa!"

"Mama!"

A young Ashley’s lively voice echoed through a small, humble home, accompanied by the rapid patter of her tiny footsteps.

The people she was calling immediately perked up—her father, seated on the couch with a newspaper in hand, and her mother, who was setting the table in the kitchen. Both parents turned toward the stairs, their faces lighting up with warm smiles as soon as they laid eyes on the adorable little girl.

"Mama! Papa! I found them!"

Beaming with pride, little Ashley held out her small hands to show them several newborn mice.

"Haha, sweetheart." Her father chuckled as he folded the newspaper and approached her. "Those are... rodents."

"Ashley, where did you find them?" her mother asked gently.

"In my room!"

Her parents raised their brows, their expressions telling her they were waiting for either an explanation or the truth.

Little Ashley pursed her lips, her gaze darting between the two adults.

"I found their mama yesterday and brought her home," she confessed. "She looked sick, but she disappeared this morning."

Nervousness filled her as she continued looking up at her parents.

"Are you angry with me?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Her gaze shifted anxiously between them. Then, their lips curled into warm smiles, followed by soft chuckles.

"Of course not, princess," her father assured her, squatting in front of her.

As soon as his face was level with hers, Ashley finally got a better look at him.

Tommy.

He wore a playful smile that made his eyes squint slightly. The air around him felt protective yet reassuring and warm.

"But it would’ve been better if you had told us about it," her mother added, her voice firm but still gentle.

Little Ashley looked up. The brightness that had been obscuring her mother’s face dimmed when the woman tilted her head.

Liza.

"Okay?" Liza smiled, her expression tender and affectionate.

"Mama..." Little Ashley whispered before turning to Tommy. "Papa."

Her face softened into a wide, radiant smile.

What if her life had been like this?

Ashley had imagined herself in countless situations like this one. At night, whenever she slept—sometimes even when she was sick or wide awake—her mind would drift into the same fantasies.

All the what-ifs her heart could conjure.

What if this was what her life had looked like?

A humble but loving home. Gentle and caring parents. A normal school life. Meeting people and making friends. Falling in love. Experiencing her first heartbreak. Learning to believe in love again until she finally met the right person.

Getting married, having children, and watching them grow alongside the man she loved.

Just... what if?

*****

"Lucian..."

Lucian stared at his wife as she slept in the bedroom of the private plane. Her brows were knitted tightly as she called his name in her sleep.

"I’m here," he whispered, clasping her hand. "It’s all right."

A faint smile touched his lips, though traces of worry still lingered in his eyes.

Hours ago, Lucian had stepped away to give Ashley and Tommy some privacy. The father and daughter had finally embraced, but instead of receiving the happy ending they deserved, Ashley’s vision had suddenly spun the moment they released each other.

Then, she passed out.

Fortunately, it was nothing serious.

It turned out she was dehydrated and exhausted. Considering she had barely slept since the mission began, it wasn’t surprising. So, Lucian had allowed her to rest until now.

He stroked her hair gently.

"Sleep," he whispered, his voice as soothing as a lullaby. "We’re safe. Everyone is fine."

He continued stroking her hair until her grip on his hand loosened. The creases on her face slowly faded, prompting Lucian to release a deep sigh of relief.

"Sleep well, my love." He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I’ll be right outside."

Lucian fixed her blanket before stepping out of the room.

The door opened into the aisle of an empty cabin. He continued toward the adjoining cabin and spotted Tommy seated nearby. Lucian walked over and sat across from him.

"Is she all right?" Tommy asked.

"Yes." Lucian nodded. "She needed the rest."

"She worked hard, didn’t she?" Tommy chuckled weakly, studying Lucian’s face with a faint smile. "Lucian."

Lucian didn’t react. He simply stared back at him.

"Thank you," Tommy said. "For everything."

"You don’t have to thank me," Lucian answered without hesitation, his demeanor calm and composed. "Everything I’ve done, I did of my own volition. None of it is something you need to thank me for."

Tommy was rendered speechless for a moment before he burst into laughter. He nodded between chuckles, wincing whenever the movement aggravated his injury. Once his laughter subsided, he leaned back and stared at Lucian.

"When I woke up, I thought I had put you in a difficult position. But when I learned what had happened, my first thought was that I had finally given you a reason to cut Marshal off," Tommy began, his voice gentle as he lowered his gaze. "Then I realized you might not have been the one behind Marshal’s downfall."

He paused and looked Lucian directly in the eye.

"I was never able to confirm it, but I was hoping you could give me an answer."

"Who was behind the attacks before tonight?" he added. "Was it her?"

Silence stretched between them. Tommy stared at Lucian as though he needed only this one answer to resolve all the other questions he had yet to ask.

After releasing a deep breath, Lucian nodded. "They had it coming."

That single answer resolved every question in Tommy’s mind.

He had wondered whether everything had been Ashley’s plan because, if she were truly behind it, that meant she had every reason to fight the man she had once believed was her father. It also told him what kind of life Ashley must have endured while living beneath the same roof as that man and his other family.

"How I wish I could bring someone back from the dead," Tommy breathed. "Just so I could kill him again."

"I never thought about it before—not until recently," Lucian explained calmly. "My wife’s heart had been broken by those same people countless times, and it made me wonder why they had kept her alive."

It was the most obvious question, yet it was also the one no one had ever bothered to ask.

"Is that so?" Tommy nodded in understanding. "So, the thought crossed your mind after the night you came to our suite?"

"That was when I started thinking about it," Lucian said. "A few days ago, I decided to run a test."

He placed a phone on the table between them and turned the screen toward Tommy.

"I received the results." Lucian paused, staring at him solemnly. "Do you want to see them first?"

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