L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 18

By the time Koi reached that conclusion, he couldn’t think of anything else.

Taking the day off from work before his exam had suddenly turned into a stroke of luck.

Without hesitation, he left his house and stopped by a nearby store, stuffing a few types of instant soup into his bag before pulling out cash to pay. He also picked up some cold medicine.

I’m coming, Ash.

Pedaling as fast as he could toward Ashley’s house, Koi’s heart felt like it was burning with worry.

*

Ashley Miller’s house stood at the highest point inside the country estate.

There was nothing around it—just the massive mansion rising alone on the hill, visible even from a distance. To get there, visitors had to go through strict security checks and prove they had been invited.

Every morning, cars lined up at the estate gates as workers presented their IDs and called in for approval before being allowed through.

By protocol, Koi should have gone through the same process, waiting for Ashley’s permission before he could step foot onto the estate grounds.

But Koi didn’t want to bother a sick Ashley.

And he just happened to know another way inside—a route that bypassed security.

He had discovered it while running from Nelson’s gang.

Thinking about that felt surreal.

Somehow, all the bad experiences in his life had ended up leading him to Ashley. Even Nelson’s bullying was turning out to be useful.

Panting, Koi pedaled harder, passing ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the estate’s back gate and starting the climb up the mountain.

Back then, even Nelson’s gang had given up on chasing him because of the steep incline. That said enough about how tough the terrain was.

Probably why the estate managers didn’t expect anyone to come through this way.

And just like that, Koi had slipped onto the estate grounds.

As he rode, the sun started dipping lower in the sky.

There it is.

Gasping for breath, Koi finally came to a stop.

Perched atop the hill, Ashley’s grand mansion came into view, standing majestic and imposing.

But now that he was here, another kind of nervousness hit him.

Koi swallowed dryly and took a deep breath.

The sun was already starting to set.

It had taken longer than he expected.

Steadying his trembling legs, he forced himself to move toward the mansion.

The silence around him was eerie.

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At the top of the hill, there was only Ashley’s house. The nearest neighboring mansion had been a thirty-minute ride away.

Is all of this Ashley’s house?

It was impressive.

But it didn’t make him feel jealous or bitter.

It just reminded him how far apart he and Ashley were—how different their worlds were.

And yet, all he had to offer Ashley was some instant soup and cold medicine.

Koi scratched his head, feeling self-conscious about his meager offerings.

He might laugh at me.

But he had come all this way.

Turning back wasn’t an option.

Taking another deep breath, Koi cautiously stepped forward.

As he neared the mansion, his heart pounded harder.

The three-story mansion was enormous, but it was eerily quiet.

A sense of unease crept in.

What if he’s not home?

It was possible.

Maybe he had gotten worse and had to be taken to the hospital.

Or maybe he wasn’t that sick and had gone out somewhere.

He considered all the possibilities.

But then, spotting the familiar Cayenne parked in front of the garage, he dismissed the thought of Ashley leaving.

Unless he took another car.

Koi frowned.

He had no idea how many cars Ashley owned.

I should at least check.

He made up his mind and walked to the front door.

Huffing out one last breath, he lifted his hand—only to hesitate for a few seconds before pressing the doorbell.

A simple melody played.

It was Spring from The Four Seasons.

He stood there, listening blankly.

By the time the long tune ended, there was still no response from inside.

That made sense.

After all, Ashley’s voice had sounded completely wrecked over the phone.

Dropping his hand from the doorbell, Koi took another deep breath before reaching for the doorknob.

What if it’s locked?

That uneasy thought crossed his mind just as he turned the handle—

And it lowered without resistance.

"Oh."

He let out a small sound without meaning to.

Standing there, blinking at the unexpectedly open door, Koi hesitated.

Ashley had given him permission, but stepping inside still required a bit of courage.

Taking another deep breath, he cautiously stepped into the house.

It was surprising that a mansion this large had no visible security system.

If there was one, sirens should have been blaring by now.

Maybe it was because Ashley was inside.

Or maybe the estate security was trusted enough to make extra measures unnecessary.

I guess no one expects someone to climb up the back hill.

Not half-walking, half-pushing a bike up, anyway.

Koi felt a little ridiculous thinking about it.

But since he was here, he wanted to at least see how Ashley was doing.

Even just saying hello would be enough.

That’s when Koi realized it—

He just wanted to see Ashley.

Wow. Am I turning into a stalker?

He laughed to himself at the thought.

But he didn’t stop walking.

Crossing the vast entrance hall, he climbed up one of the many staircases, trying to guess where Ashley’s room might be.

From outside, the mansion had looked about three stories tall.

Maybe four.

Huffing out a breath, he pushed forward, finally reaching the second floor.

But then, seeing the endless hallway stretching in both directions, he immediately felt exhausted.

I need to hurry.

Shaking off the thought, he picked up his pace.

The first room he entered was a kitchen-bar area.

Shelves lined the walls, filled with liquor bottles and glassware.

At a glance, none of the alcohol looked touched.

So, he doesn’t drink.

Koi glanced around curiously, then reached for what looked like a fridge—only to flinch when the interior lights flicked on.

The glass door revealed rows of neatly stocked beverages.

Not here.

Leaving the cozy kitchen behind, he moved to the next room.

No lights were on, but the large windows let in enough of the fading sunlight to illuminate the space.

A home theater.

The large projection screen and plush sofas were enough to make Koi whisper, "Wow," before quickly closing the door and moving on.

If I keep gawking, I’ll never find him.

He urged himself to hurry.

Room after room, door after door.

This house is huge.

A game room with a pool table.

A gym packed with fitness equipment.

A room full of arcade machines.

And then—

Several empty bedrooms, untouched, lifeless.

Huff... huff...

By the time he finally found the right bedroom, Koi was completely exhausted.

*

"You want to go west?"

The man asked, a thick cigar between his lips.

Ashley forced down the familiar surge of disgust as their eyes met—those eerie violet irises always set his nerves on edge.

"I don’t want to stay in this house. It doesn’t have to be the west, just anywhere else."

The man narrowed his eyes.

Ashley remained impassive, unaffected by the familiar cynicism.

Sinking deep into the leather chair behind his massive oak desk, the man took a slow, deliberate drag from his cigar.

Ashley stood on the other side, waiting for his answer.

The silence stretched on.

Longer than expected.

Long enough to test even Ashley’s patience.

"There’s a villa in the west."

At last, the man spoke.

"I bought it for vacationing, but it’s sitting empty. You could stay there."

His voice was slow and measured.

Then, his gaze shifted to Ashley.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the words Ashley would say next.

A man who had never lost a trial, who never handled anything without a price.

And for Ashley, the cost was absurdly cheap.

Just a single word.

But even so, he had to take a deep breath before saying it.

"Thank you... Father."

The corners of the man’s lips curved slightly.

The heavy scent of cigar smoke mixed with an unbearably sweet pheromone filled the air around him, suffocating.