THE EXILED LORD

CHAPTER 2

Luca Ashford knowing fully well that he was about to leave the Quarry to carry out the task given to him by his father, Dorian, decided it was time to announce his departure.

Few minutes later after reading the letter he stood proud and tall at the center of Grimstone Quarry, his sharp gaze sweeping over the gathered workers all of whom were his subordinates.

The air was thick with dust, the scent of earth and sweat clinging to the bodies of the men who toiled under his leadership.

He had built this place into something formidable, a sanctuary for those who had been cast aside by society.

The men stood in silence, their eyes filled with respect and unwavering loyalty.

Luca had earned their trust through strength, wisdom, and an unshakable will. Now, he was about to leave them for a time.

“I’ll be away for a while,” Luca announced, his voice calm but firm. “I trust that no one will cause trouble in my absence.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd before one of the men, a burly worker with a scar across his jaw, stepped forward. “Boss, you don’t have to worry. We’ll keep everything running smoothly until you return.”

“I have no doubt that you will… but as for Skull Crusher and Night Stalker, that's a different story. They dare not cause any more trouble or else their punishment would be severe.”

“You can be rest assured my Lord, they will be placed in isolation if that happens.” The burly scarred man uttered yet again.

The others nodded in agreement, some pounding their fists against their chests in silent oath.

“We will behave!” Some chanted in loyalty.

Luca’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. These men were rough, but they knew the value of loyalty and fear.

Just as he turned to leave, an elderly man stepped forward from the crowd. His frail body trembled slightly, his thin fingers were clutching tightly to a crumpled letter which he held dearly to his chest.

His eyes, though weary, held a desperate light.

“Luca, my Lord…” the old man’s voice was raspy, barely above a whisper.

Luca halted, recognizing the man immediately, he was none other than Alfred Gray, once, he had been the wealthiest man in Cinderfall, but now he was a shadow of his former self, reduced to little more than skin and bone.

He was someone nearing his death, he was an old man, his body was literally shaking.

Alfred surprisingly dropped to his knees with a heavy thud, his frail hands shaking as he held out the letter. “Please… I beg of you, my Lord.”

Luca’s expression darkened. “What are you doing, old man? Get up!”

“I can’t,” Alfred whispered, his voice breaking as he continued; “You’re going to Cinderfall, aren’t you?”

Luca studied him for a long moment before giving a slow nod.

A flicker of hope flashed in Alfred's eyes, he uttered;

“Then please… help me deliver this letter to my daughter Luna Gray, she is the CEO of Gray’s Corporation.”

Luca took a step closer, frowning. “Your daughter?”

“Yes…*coughs*” Alfred breath hitched, his frail body trembling as he fought back the emotions threatening to break him as he continued;

“She doesn’t know the truth. She thinks I abandoned her, but that’s not what happened. I was forced out… I had no choice.” His voice grew weaker with each word. “I don’t have much time left, Luca. Please… just get this letter to her. If nothing else, I want her to know the truth before I…”

Luca held up a hand, silencing him. He could see the desperation in the old man’s eyes.

Alfred Gray didn’t have long… his body was deteriorating rapidly with each passing second.

“You want me to help her?” Luca asked, his tone unreadable.

Alfred swallowed hard and said; “If you can… within your capacity, please for me, guide her and give her a helping hand.”

Luca exhaled through his nose and took the letter. His sharp eyes kept hovering over the trembling man before him.

He wasn’t one to get involved in personal affairs, but… this time, something in him decided to.

“I’ll do it,” Luca said finally.

Alfred’s eyes widened in relief, and he clasped his hands together in gratitude. “Thank you… Thank you, Luca.”

Luca gave a curt nod before slipping the letter into his coat pocket. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the waiting car at the edge of the quarry.

As he left Grimstone Quarry behind, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this letter was going to pull him into something far deeper than just a simple delivery or maybe it was just his reluctance to get involved in personal affairs, talking.

*****

Luca Ashford sat in the airport lounge, one leg crossed over the other lazily as always, but this time he was flicking a playing card between his fingers.

The distant hum of flight announcements barely reached him as he waited for his flight, his expression unreadable, no emotions, he was in no rush.

Just as he reached for his coffee, a sharp, familiar voice grated on his ears.

“Well, well. What a coincidence.”

Luca Ashford sighed, looking up, he saw his now estranged fiance Marina, before him, her arms crossed, her face twisted in a smirk.

“Are you stalking me, Luca Ashford?” she sneered.

Luca Ashford barely spared her a glance. “Marina, trust me, if I were stalking you, you wouldn’t know it.”

Her smirk vanished. “Tch. You’re just an ordinary pathetic exiled bas…”

Before she could finish, chaos erupted.

A group of masked men stormed into the terminal, wielding high end guns. The crowd gasped and screamed in terror as they scattered, hands raised in surrender, looking for a safety spot.

The Airport security barely had time to react before one of the men fired a warning shot into the ceiling.

“Everyone stay down, or you die!” one of the thugs bellowed.

Luca Ashford seemed unfazed by this as he remained seated, his fingers tapping against his knee but his eyes were sharp.

Next to him, Marina’s expression turned ice-cold.

“They’re here for me,” she muttered.

Luca Ashford raised an eyebrow surprised by her words; “How flattering!”

Marina ignored him, shifting her stance.

Just as she was about to make a move, one of the thugs stepped forward and, without warning, ripped open his jacket, it was a bomb vest.

The sight of this made the entire airport fall into stunned silence.

The thug grinned, his thumb hovering over the trigger.

“Try anything stupid, and we all die here, right now, together,” he said.

For the first time, Marina hesitated. Her hands curled into fists as she calculated her options.

One wrong move, and hundreds of innocent people would die.