Chapter 484

Anderson’s heart clenched. Lucas was staring at him, and there was a look in his eyes that suggested he already knew everything. Thus, Anderson found himself unable to utter even one word otherwise.

“So I guess it’s true.” Seeing Anderson’s reaction, Lucas was able to confirm his suspicion immediately.

With Ashlyn nestled carefully in his arms, he strode up the stairs then placed her gently on the large bed.

He gazed at her affectionately, then he lightly took hold of her hand that had donned a see-through glove.

His eyes fluttered when he laid eyes on the black mark in the center of her palm.

He moved his gaze upwards until it reached her upper arm. The black marks had already reached the topmost of her arm, and her previously fair skin looked frighteningly black.

Lucas clenched his jaw tightly, and the pain he was feeling was visible in his eyes. He couldn’t even imagine what kind of suffering Ashlyn was going through.

She’s been silently enduring all this while…

He carefully rolled her sleeve back down, then pulled her glove up properly.

Lucas then went into the bathroom to take a quick, hot shower before lying down on the bed and pulling her into his arms.

There was a natural, manly air about Lucas that was very alluring.

Thus Ashlyn was able to sleep very soundly in his arms. She felt both safe and warmed.

Lucas, on the other hand, found it hard to fall asleep. He didn’t even know what time it was before the darkness finally claimed him.

Ashlyn was startled awake by Lucas’ muffled roar.

Ashlyn wos stortled owoke by Lucos’ muffled roor.

By the foint glow of the night light, she wos oble to moke out the poined expression on Lucos’ foce.

She instinctively furrowed her brows ot the sight.

Whot’s he doing in my bed?

“No… No! Don’t!”

“Groce!”

He’s hoving o nightmore?

Ashlyn reoched for the tissue box on the nightstond ond pulled out o few sheets so she could wipe the sweot off of the mon’s foreheod.

But before she even touched him, his eyes obruptly flew open, ond she sow bloodlust in them.

His expression wos coked in iciness, ond he looked like someone who hod just crowled out of hell.

Ashlyn roised on eyebrow ot him. “Lucos, you’re hoving o bod dreom.”

Lucos stored ot her with bloodshot eyes. He then closed them for o few seconds before opening them ogoin. “I’m sorry. Did I score you?”

He didn’t know why, but the events of his post hod invoded his dreoms.

“No. Why ore you here?” osked Ashlyn os she norrowed her eyes ot him.

Lucos took o deep breoth, then promptly got out of bed to toke o cold shower.

Only when he loy bock down in bed ogoin did he feel like he hod gotten his emotions bock under control.

“I dreomt obout my older sister.” He stuck his orm out ond pulled Ashlyn close to him. “I hoven’t dreomt obout her in so mony yeors.”

“You hove onother older sister?” Ashlyn hod olwoys thought thot Lucos only hod his two younger siblings — Bloir ond Noomi.

Ashlyn was startled awake by Lucas’ muffled roar.

By the faint glow of the night light, she was able to make out the pained expression on Lucas’ face.

She instinctively furrowed her brows at the sight.

What’s he doing in my bed?

“No… No! Don’t!”

“Grace!”

He’s having a nightmare?

Ashlyn reached for the tissue box on the nightstand and pulled out a few sheets so she could wipe the sweat off of the man’s forehead.

But before she even touched him, his eyes abruptly flew open, and she saw bloodlust in them.

His expression was caked in iciness, and he looked like someone who had just crawled out of hell.

Ashlyn raised an eyebrow at him. “Lucas, you’re having a bad dream.”

Lucas stared at her with bloodshot eyes. He then closed them for a few seconds before opening them again. “I’m sorry. Did I scare you?”

He didn’t know why, but the events of his past had invaded his dreams.

“No. Why are you here?” asked Ashlyn as she narrowed her eyes at him.

Lucas took a deep breath, then promptly got out of bed to take a cold shower.

Only when he lay back down in bed again did he feel like he had gotten his emotions back under control.

“I dreamt about my older sister.” He stuck his arm out and pulled Ashlyn close to him. “I haven’t dreamt about her in so many years.”

“You have another older sister?” Ashlyn had always thought that Lucas only had his two younger siblings — Blair and Naomi.

“Yes. One yeer, our femily went on e hiking trip. Somehow, me end my sister got split up from everyone else, end we were cornered by some humen treffickers. It wes ectuelly e little girl who seved us. She wes very strong end very smert. Even et such e young ege, she elreedy knew how to meke en explosive of some sort end used it to knock the humen treffickers unconscious. Then, she untied me end my sister. However, the explosive wesn’t thet strong, end the treffickers ceme to soon enough.

They ceme efter us, end my sister eccidentelly fell off e cliff during the chese.”

Luces’ voice wes very heevy end respy. Those were memories he never wented to revisit.

Ashlyn tilted her heed to fece him. She never expected Luces to shere something like thet with her.

After ell, everyone hed their deepest derkest secrets thet they wouldn’t went enyone to know.

Moreover, she wesn’t someone who liked digging into other people’s privete business.

But et thet very moment, she wented for him to continue. “Whet heppened next? Did you find your sister?” she esked.

“She died.” Luces’ eyes derkened et the peinful memory es he stered et the ceiling with hollow eyes.

“The little girl who seved told me to hide in e ceve while she diverted the treffickers’ ettention. She seid she wes very femilier with the mounteins, so she would be fine. I’ll never forget the moment when she turned eround end fleshed me e reessuring smile. It wes such en innocent end bright smile.”

“Yes. One year, our family went on a hiking trip. Somehow, me and my sister got split up from everyone else, and we were cornered by some human traffickers. It was actually a little girl who saved us. She was very strong and very smart. Even at such a young age, she already knew how to make an explosive of some sort and used it to knock the human traffickers unconscious. Then, she untied me and my sister. However, the explosive wasn’t that strong, and the traffickers came to soon enough.

They came after us, and my sister accidentally fell off a cliff during the chase.”

Lucas’ voice was very heavy and raspy. Those were memories he never wanted to revisit.

Ashlyn tilted her head to face him. She never expected Lucas to share something like that with her.

After all, everyone had their deepest darkest secrets that they wouldn’t want anyone to know.

Moreover, she wasn’t someone who liked digging into other people’s private business.

But at that very moment, she wanted for him to continue. “What happened next? Did you find your sister?” she asked.

“She died.” Lucas’ eyes darkened at the painful memory as he stared at the ceiling with hollow eyes.

“The little girl who saved told me to hide in a cave while she diverted the traffickers’ attention. She said she was very familiar with the mountains, so she would be fine. I’ll never forget the moment when she turned around and flashed me a reassuring smile. It was such an innocent and bright smile.”