"Dmitri, what are you doing here?" Evan's voice called out as he walked toward them.
"That lady said you left the shop". His eyes flickered toward Ash, scanning him curiously before settling back on Dmitri.
With that, Ash said, "I'll take my leave now, boss," giving a small bow before walking off to join Maddox.
Dmitri watched him as he left, his gaze lingering for a moment until Evan came to stand beside him.
"Who's that guy?" Evan asked, eyes following the pair as they walked away.
Dmitri, still watching Ash's back, replied, "He's just a member of the mafia"
He exhaled lightly, then adjusted his cap and turned back toward the coffee shop.
Evan glanced one last time at Ash and Maddox disappearing down the street before slipping his hands into the pockets of his lab coat and following Dmitri.
************
It had been two days since Ash and Dmitri last met.
The morning sun rose lazily over the quiet streets as Ash and Maddox drove toward a distant neighborhood to collect money from a debtor. The ride was silent. Ash kept his eyes on the road, his jaw tight. He was still annoyed by what Maddox had said to him the other day, and since then, neither of them had said a word to each other.
It was nighttime when Ash's phone buzzed with a message from Maddox: they were set to depart at 9 a.m., heading to Brooklyn Street, and their target was an older man, probably in his late fifties, who lived with his daughter on the far side of town. It was a long trip—about two hours by car. Maddox, sitting beside him, spent the entire ride smoking, staring blankly out the window as the wind played with strands of his hair.
When they finally reached the area, Ash slowed down, scanning the street for a decent spot. He parked the car neatly by the roadside and was about to turn off the engine when Maddox suddenly opened the door and stepped out without a word.
Ash blinked. "Seriously?" he muttered under his breath, watching Maddox's figure disappear down the street.
"You sit there smoking the whole ride, and now you can't even wait for me?"
He sighed, switching off the engine and unbuckling his seatbelt.
"How did I even end up with that bastard?" he mumbled, stepping out of the car and glancing around.
Maddox was already far ahead, his figure shrinking with each step. Ash was about to follow when it suddenly hit him—he didn't even know which house they were supposed to go to. His eyes darted around the quiet street, lined with houses that all looked frustratingly similar.
"Great," he muttered. "Just great."
Ten minutes had passed as Ash wandered down the street, still trying to figure out where Maddox had gone. He let out a long sigh, dragging his palm down his face.
"Where am I even going?" he muttered. "I could just waited in the car for him to finish and come back. It's not like I'll be of much help anyway."
That thought made him groan softly, and then—an idea hit him. A slightly annoying one. He pulled out his phone and typed a message.
ASH: Hey, what's the house number?
He waited. No reply.
Ash frowned and was about to call when a faint sound caught his attention—a muffled cry, followed by a pained groan. It came from a narrow alley nearby. His instincts kicked in immediately. He turned toward the sound and walked in.
The scene that greeted him made him pause. A man lay on the ground, groaning in pain, his nose bleeding heavily. But what really shocked Ash wasn't the man—it was the lady standing in front of him.
For a moment, time froze.
Those brown eyes… he hadn't seen them in so long.
"Ash…" the lady whispered, her voice trembling as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Ash?"
Her eyes widened, tears welling up as she covered her mouth.
"Ellie…" Ash breathed, his voice soft.
Before he could say another word, Ellie ran to him and threw her arms around his chest. The force of it nearly knocked him back, but he instinctively hugged her tight.
"Thank God you're okay," she cried, her voice breaking. "Han and I looked everywhere for you. We thought— we thought…"
Her words faded into sobs.
Ash's expression softened. Since he was taller, he rested his chin gently on her head and stroked her hair, letting her cry.
"Hey… it's okay," he murmured, his voice low and calm.
Ellie looked up, her cheeks wet and her lips trembling. "If you were fine all this time, why didn't you come back?" she asked between sniffles. "I missed you so much."
Ash tilted her chin up with his hand, his thumb brushing away her tears. "Hey," he said quietly, smiling a little. "Stop crying ok. What will people think if they see a young lady crying like this, huh?"
"Shut up, idiot," she said, hitting his chest lightly.
Ash chuckled, the sound soft and warm, and pulled her close again.
Yeah… he missed her too.
Minutes passed before they finally broke the hug. A bench nearby caught their eyes, so Ash and Ellie walked over and sat down to talk.
Ash turned to her, his voice calm but curious. "Ellie… that man who was bleeding on the floor—who was he?"
Ellie crossed her arms and replied without an ounce of guilt, "He deserved it."
Ash frowned, surprised by her tone. "And Victor? Han? What about them? What are you doing here anyway?"
Ellie looked away, avoiding his gaze. "Dad and Han fine. Dad just… wanted a change of environment. The houses around here are nice and affordable, so we decided to move."
Ash studied her face, his concern showing. "Are you sure everything's okay?"
Ellie waved a hand, forcing a small smile. "Enough about me. You're the one who disappeared and suddenly shows up out of nowhere. Why are you here? And dressed like this?" She gestured at his outfit, waiting for an answer.
Inside, Ash's thoughts spun. Ican't just tell her the truth… that the bar burned down because of me. That my dad sold me to a mafia, and now I'm working to pay off his debt.
He sighed quietly, then looked back at her. "Ellie… can we just go home first? I'll tell you everything there. Besides, I need to see Victor too."
Ellie hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."
Together, they rose from the bench and started walking home.
******************
Victor sat quietly on the old wooden chair in the living room. Since last night, an uneasy feeling had been eating at him.
Today was the day he was supposed to pay his debt—
a debt he had been trapped into taking.
He hadn't told the kids anything about it. The little money he had left, he'd secretly kept aside for Han and Ellie, just in case something ever happened to him.
He leaned back in the chair, rubbing his tired face, the weight of regret heavy on his shoulders. I can't let anything happen to my little princess, he thought, his heart tightening.
The house was silent—until a sudden knock on the door broke the stillness.
Victor froze. His eyes slowly lifted toward the door, dread washing over him.