With her work finally completed, Ashley stretched her arms and shoulders before making her way back to the bathroom. The tub was ready, and she happily sank into the hot water, allowing herself to relax and rest for the first time that day.

The next morning, when Ashley and Gage arrived at the hotel lobby, they immediately spotted Roman waiting near the reception area. In front of him sat another man with his back facing them.

Ashley and Gage made their way over, but Ashley didn’t spare much thought for Gideon’s whereabouts. She had no idea what his plans were for the day, nor did she feel it was her place to ask. Although they had exchanged phone numbers the previous day, they were still little more than acquaintances.

More importantly, she could sense Gage’s concern whenever Gideon’s name came up. Her brother clearly didn’t want her getting too close to the man, and Ashley couldn’t blame him. Even she could tell that Gideon was dangerous.

Ashley was already dealing with enough problems of her own. She was still hiding from Nathan and the Yorks, and in her current state, she was far too weak to face them if they found her. The last thing she needed was to become entangled in someone else’s dangerous world.

Because of that, she decided it would be best to keep a certain distance between herself and Gideon. Some people were simply too dangerous to get involved with, no matter how helpful or attractive they might be.

"Good morning, Miss Ashley!"

The moment Roman spotted Ashley and Gage approaching, he immediately rose from his seat and greeted them enthusiastically.

The man sitting across from him also stood up when he saw Roman’s reaction. However, the instant he turned around, Ashley froze in shock.

"You are Drake?!"

Ashley nearly gasped out loud, unable to hide her surprise. She had never expected such a coincidence. It seemed the world was far smaller than she had imagined. The brother Roman had been talking about all this time was actually Drake.

Drake, on the other hand, looked puzzled by her reaction. His face was still swollen and covered in bruises from the beating he had received, making him appear even more haggard than before. Since he had only met Ashley briefly and under less-than-ideal circumstances, he didn’t immediately understand why she seemed so shocked to see him.

"Hello, Miss," Drake greeted politely, offering her a small nod despite his battered appearance.

"Miss, you know my brother?" Roman was the first to break the awkward silence, his curiosity evident as he glanced between Ashley and Drake.

"I... um, we met yesterday," Ashley replied, stumbling over her words slightly.

The hesitation wasn’t because she didn’t know what to say. Rather, she wasn’t sure how much she was allowed to reveal.

After all, she had met Drake in the underground arena, an illegal establishment that wasn’t exactly the kind of place one casually mentioned in public.

Ashley had no way of knowing how much Drake’s family knew about his activities. Not wanting to accidentally expose something he preferred to keep private, she wisely chose not to elaborate any further.

"Miss!"

The moment Ashley mentioned seeing him yesterday, Drake’s expression changed dramatically.

His mind immediately jumped to the underground arena, the very place where he had been beaten black and blue.

Until now, he had never told Roman the truth about his injuries. All he had said was that he had gotten into a fight, which wasn’t exactly a lie. However, he couldn’t bring himself to admit that he had been risking his life in an illegal underground fighting arena. Worse, he had even brought his young daughter along as his assistant.

His wife knew about it, but Roman and the rest of the family didn’t.

It wasn’t because he didn’t trust them. Rather, Roman had always opposed Drake putting himself in danger. Time and time again, his older brother had reminded him that he wasn’t alone anymore. If something happened to him, what would become of his wife and daughter?

Because of that, Drake had no choice but to keep the truth hidden.

The truth was that he had been pushed into a corner. His wife’s surgery required a staggering amount of money, and despite exhausting nearly every option available to him, he still hadn’t managed to gather enough. Even now, he continued to cling desperately to the hope that somehow, some way, he might be able to earn the funds needed to save her.

That was why, when Roman asked him to come along for a temporary job, Drake hadn’t questioned it. Any amount of money was better than none. Even if the pay only covered a fraction of his wife’s medical expenses, it was still a step forward.

But who could have predicted this situation?

The client Roman had brought him to meet was actually someone who had been present at the underground arena.

Not only that, she had clearly recognized him.

Suddenly, Drake felt his heart skip a beat. The bruises on his face didn’t bother him nearly as much as the possibility that Ashley might accidentally reveal where they had met.

For the first time since arriving, he genuinely felt nervous.

Roman immediately noticed the panic flashing across Drake’s face and couldn’t help narrowing his eyes.

As Drake’s older brother, he knew him well enough to tell when something was wrong. The way Drake reacted after hearing Ashley mention yesterday was far too suspicious to ignore.

Still, this wasn’t the time or place to question him.

Suppressing his curiosity, Roman stepped forward and positioned himself between them. A professional smile spread across his face as he addressed Ashley.

"Miss Ashley, you’ve arrived just in time," he said. "May I know where you’d like to go first?"

Although his tone remained calm and courteous, Roman made a mental note to question Drake later. Something had clearly happened yesterday, and he intended to find out what it was.

"Oh, right."

Only then did Ashley realize that she had forgotten to send Roman the places she wanted to visit. After being reminded, she quickly pulled out her phone and forwarded him the simple itinerary she had put together before going to bed the previous night. Since she had several locations to visit throughout the day, she had carefully planned the route to make the most of her time.

Knowing they would be moving from place to place for hours, both Ashley and Gage had chosen comfortable outfits.

Gage was dressed in black cargo pants, a fitted black turtleneck, and a stylish black jacket. The outfit softened his usually stern appearance, making him look less intimidating and more fashionable.

Ashley, meanwhile, wore a simple black T-shirt paired with denim jeans and comfortable running shoes. A Chanel Diamond Forever Classic handbag hung casually from her shoulder, adding a touch of elegance to her otherwise relaxed attire.

Standing side by side, the siblings looked more like a pair of young tourists than professionals. Their good looks and effortless style drew more than a few glances, giving them a refreshing and approachable presence despite Gage’s naturally imposing aura.

"Drake, assist Miss Ashley and Sir Gage. I’ll go fetch the car."

After giving his instructions, Roman offered the siblings a respectful bow before hurrying out of the hotel lobby.