The conference room fell silent, every eye fixed on the figure standing in the doorway.

Ashley stood there, with Red and Khan just behind her.

She swept a calm gaze across the room before it settled on the kneeling gunman.

Then, without acknowledging anyone else, she asked,

"Do we have a name?"

No one answered.

She walked in—calm, measured—but there was something different about the air surrounding her.

"Madam." Gustav stepped in front of her. "This isn’t exactly the best place for you right now."

Ashley looked at him.

"Move."

Lukas rolled his eyes.

"The master already has everything under control," he said condescendingly. "Just go back and—"

He stopped abruptly when Red had stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Gustav.

"The madam said move," Red warned.

At the same time, everyone noticed Khan’s hand resting near the pistol at his waist.

"Hah!" Lukas scoffed in disbelief, looking between Red, Khan, Gustav, and finally Lucian. "Master, they’re acting like we’re the enemy. They’re being hostile."

Gustav ignored Lukas entirely as he studied Red.

"We’re not your enemy," Gustav said calmly.

"But you’re standing in her way," Red answered.

"Red. Khan."

Ashley glanced at them, signaling them to stand down.

When she looked back at Gustav, she repeated herself.

"I said move."

The warning in her voice left no room for argument.

Gustav let out a slow breath before glancing at Lucian.

"Master..."

Lucian remained silent.

After a moment, Gustav stepped aside.

"Master—" Lukas looked at him in disbelief.

"With all due respect, Madam," he said, unable to hide the mockery in his voice, "there’s no point coming here. The master is already handling it, but this guy is not talking."

His words fell on deaf ears.

Ashley walked straight toward Lucian.

She stopped before him and let out a quiet breath.

After the attack, Red and Khan had immediately followed protocol and taken her to safety. She had been the target, and if she hadn’t reacted quickly enough, that bullet would’ve struck her.

Thankfully, she had insisted that the spotlight be turned off.

Otherwise, she would’ve never seen the glint of the gun.

The two stared at each other until Lucian finally broke the silence.

"Ashley." His voice was calm, but firm. "Go back."

She wasn’t surprised. "No."

"You don’t need to concern yourself with this anymore."

"It became my concern the moment he pointed a gun at me." Her gaze drifted past him toward the gunman.

"That’s exactly why it’s my concern." Lucian stepped forward, blocking her view. "I’ll handle it."

Ashley clenched her fists.

It wasn’t that she doubted Lucian.

She simply knew him.

Lucian hated wasting time.

If someone refused to cooperate, he would eliminate the problem and move on.

Their plates were already full.

The last thing he wanted was another investigation.

"You’re going to kill him," she said quietly. "Do we have a name?"

"..."

Silence settled over the room.

Everyone expected neither of them to back down.

Before Ashley could press further, Lukas stepped in.

"He’s not cooperating," he explained, straightening his posture. "There’s no point wasting our time on someone trained to stay silent. Whoever sent him already told him this was a suicide mission."

Ashley turned her head sharply. "Shut up."

Lukas’s expression darkened.

She didn’t spare him another glance.

Instead, she looked back at Lucian.

"Lucian... I’m not saying you’re wrong." Her voice softened. "I’m asking you to trust me. Give me one chance. If he still won’t talk, kill him. I don’t care."

She paused. "But we already have enough poison on our plate. Let’s not add another."

The gunman suddenly snickered.

"You’re going to make me talk?" He laughed mockingly. "These pathetic Dominion dogs couldn’t even land a decent punch."

His eyes swept over Ashley with contempt. "What can a bitch like you possibly do?"

The room instantly grew cold.

Red and Khan lowered their heads.

The death sentence that had already been hanging over the man now felt deserved.

Even the Dominion members frowned.

Lukas clicked his tongue, more offended that Dominion had been mocked than by the insult directed at Ashley.

As for Ashley and Lucian...

Their expressions disappeared beneath the shadows cast across their faces.

Slowly, both of them turned toward the gunman.

For the first time since his capture, the gunman hesitated. The way they stared at him made his heartbeat skip.

He swallowed. Then forced out a laugh.

"Hey... I was only joking—"

"Fine," Lucian’s quiet voice cut through the room. "He’s yours."

Everyone froze.

Even Gustav looked at Lucian in surprise.

They had already beaten the man bloody with brass knuckles.

Maybe it wasn’t full torture, but everyone had agreed he was one of those people who would rather die than betray his employer.

Then, Lucian slowly raised his handgun and held it out. His eyes never left the gunman.

Ashley didn’t take it immediately.

She simply stared at the man, as though calculating something.

Another heavy silence passed.

Finally, she reached out and accepted the gun.

The moment the exchange happened, quiet murmurs spread through the room.

"She’ll just kill him."

"There’s no point."

"How is she supposed to make him talk?"

"Master," Gustav said cautiously, watching Ashley grip the pistol. "He won’t talk. Even if she points a gun at his head—"

Ashley walked past him before he could finish.

She pulled back the slide.

Click.

The metallic sound echoed throughout the conference room.

The gunman merely smirked. He expected threats. A gun against his forehead. Maybe another beating.

Instead—

BANG!

The shot exploded through the room.

A bloodcurdling scream tore from the man’s throat as the bullet punched clean through the middle of his foot.

Before he could collapse, Ashley grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head back.

At the same time, she drove the heel of her stiletto directly into the fresh bullet wound.

The gunman’s body convulsed.

Ashley pressed the still-smoking barrel behind his ear.

"I’ll ask once." Her voice was flat, emotionless.

As she slowly twisted her heel deeper into his shattered foot. Another agonized scream ripped through the room.

He couldn’t even struggle.

The pain had rooted him to the floor.

Ashley narrowed her eyes.

"Name."