CHAPTER 43: IT WAS JUST A FAVOR... AND NOW?

Author’s POV

"No! They... they will kill me... She will kill me!" Her voice cracked, and her words were broken because of the sobs.

She sounded like a frightened, powerless, and lost child

Asher didn’t hesitate. He pulled her into his chest and held her tight, one hand on the back of her head, the other around her back, caressing it lightly,

"I’m here," he whispered in a trembling voice. "Sera, I’m right here. Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise. I won’t let anyone hurt you again."

But she couldn’t hear him at that moment. She wasn’t in the car anymore. She was back in that hell once again.

And all Lucien could do was watch as her trauma unfolded like a bleeding wound in front of them. He clenched his fists at how helpless he was and could do nothing for her.

Who the hell had broken her this way?

And more importantly, who was she that Sera had mentioned?

Asher’s mind was spinning.

In all his years of commanding men, taking bullets, or walking into war zones, he had never prepared himself for this.

His own sister in the backseat, clinging to his chest like the world had turned into a monster.

Sera...

She was his sister, and yet how little he knew about her.

His throat tightened as flashes of memory bombarded him.

That day on her eighteenth birthday, the very day when he started to change.

He hadn’t been there for the celebration. He already informed that he would arrive late.

So, he knew nothing about Sera being taken to the Mental hospital.

Though he was looking for her everywhere subconsciously. But when Melissa told him that Sera wasn’t interested in celebrating her birthday with her family, he felt furious.

Since that day, he decided not to interfere and then... a call came from Adrian.

" Sera is in trouble! Go get her. Now. If you don’t... you’ll regret it for the rest of your damn life."

At the time, Asher had scoffed.

Why should I care?

She was just a girl—an extra in their pristine Lancaster world, who didn’t even fit in their life to the point where she didn’t wish to be with them on her own birthday.

He hadn’t even wanted to go. His pride, his prejudice toward Sera, told him to ignore it.

She wasn’t his responsibility—just a girl who barely belonged in their world. A ghost in the Lancaster name.

But his conscience... it urged him otherwise.

Something inside him itched like a warning crawling under his skin. A voice in his head whispered that if he didn’t act now, Adrian’s words would become a curse for the rest of his life.

And so, he had gone to look for her.

He was shocked and furious when he found out she’d been sent to a mental hospital.

Without his knowledge and a single damn word spoken to him.

He hadn’t known what to say when he stood outside that cold building. He wanted to rip it apart piece by piece, but there was no one to blame.

Until he heard who was behind it all.

Melissa’s cousin, Jim.

It was said that Sera had hit him and run away.

Asher didn’t flinch. Instead, something inside him snapped.

He knew Jim. Asher knew what kind of filth he was.

If Sera had laid a hand on him, then that bastard must’ve done something worse to her. That much, Asher knew in his gut.

He wanted to find Jim to end him. But when he arrived...

Sera was gone.

Vanished right before he could reach her.

She was taken by someone Asher didn’t know. He, for the first time, felt fear within him.

He didn’t know where to go or whom to trust; after all, it was related to Sera.

But thankfully, ironically, he hadn’t beaten Jim yet. The bastard had still hoped Asher would take his side.

That’s when he spoke about where Sera was!

Lucien had taken Sera.

Asher’s blood boiled.

Lucien De Rossi.

He had never liked him.

And now he was the one who had stepped in when Asher was too late?

He wanted to rip Sera away from there and wanted to get her far from Lucien’s reach.

But when he finally saw her... when their eyes met...

Nothing good came out of his mouth. Not a damn word of comfort or a shred of warmth.

If only he had said something soothing or something to let her know she wasn’t alone, Sera wouldn’t hate him this much.

But he hadn’t.

And now...

Now all he could do was watch her suffer, knowing deep down that some of her pain...

It was partially his fault.

.

"I’m sorry," Asher said, so softly even Lucien couldn’t hear him. "I should’ve come for you sooner."

"Yes, but you didn’t!"

Lucien, standing nearby, was stunned to see the tenderness in Asher’s voice and eyes.

But he wasn’t easy to fool.

He knew the Lancasters. Not all of them were this welcoming as him.

Asher didn’t answer.

He had no words to spare for outsiders at the moment.

His entire focus was on the girl in his arms, shaking and asking to be saved.

His embrace tightened around Seraphina as he whispered slowly in her ears.

"Sera... your brother Asher is here. I’m here now." His voice was barely a whisper, filled with guilt and regret.

She stirred in his arms.

And then, as if something had helped Sera out of her nightmare, she hugged him back desperately and murmured into his chest, "Is that really you, Brother Ash...?"

Asher’s entire body went still.

She had always called him either Young Master or Mr. Lancaster, building a distant wall between them.

But now... she’d called him brother and not just that she’d used his nickname.

His throat tightened. He couldn’t speak and couldn’t even breathe for a moment.

"Yes, it’s me!" Asher responded. "It’s your Brother Ash!"

"Ta... Take me... Take me home..." Sera’s lips trembled as she opened her eyes slightly, her voice so weak it barely reached them. But she wasn’t looking at Asher.

She was looking at Lucien.

Asher didn’t notice. He held her tighter, heart thudding in his chest.

"Yes, I’m taking you home," he said quickly, grabbing his phone. "Let me call the driver—"

"There’s no need for that," Lucien interjected in his usual cold tone.

Asher stopped, brows furrowed.

"I’ll help you take her," Lucien said. He wasn’t offering. He was declaring.

It was hard for him to let her go, but if this was what she wanted, he would do it for her.

Still... he couldn’t stay silent.

"If someone dares touch her in that mansion again..." Lucien’s words were slow but sharp and clear. "I’ll take her away. I’ll burn that place to the ground if I have to."

Asher’s teeth clenched. The blood in his veins boiled at those words. He wanted to throw a punch right at his face.

But... He knew Lucien wasn’t wrong.

What if something really did happen again?

What if he wasn’t there to stop it?

What if someone hurt her again?

He looked down at Sera, still shivering and scared in his arms. His chest ached at the sight of her.

"If she ever says she doesn’t feel safe with us," Asher said in a rough voice, "then yeah... take her."

He wasn’t going to pretend anymore. They had already failed her once.

Lucien didn’t reply. And maybe it was better that way.

Because both men knew... Sera wasn’t someone they could afford to lose again.

With his jaw tight and teeth clenched, Lucien started the car and drove off.

His hands gripped the wheel, and his knuckles turned white. It was his second time bringing Seraphina back to that house.

But this time... he hoped she wouldn’t return to him in a vulnerable state. He hated seeing her like that.

And as for his own wreck of a heartbeat... He’d deal with it..

Lucien never asked for permission when he wanted something... He just took it simply.

But Sera... she wasn’t just something to take because he wished for her.

She was the one person who made him hesitate. And that scared the hell out of him.

Because deep down, he knew... She had already carved a space inside him.

And he didn’t even know how.

Was it because of those strange dreams that kept haunting him? Or was it something else?

Lucien didn’t have the answer. All he knew was... Sera was his and his only.

But things were never that simple. There were rivals on his way to Sera.

At first, he thought Adrian was the only one clinging to her, who was always calling, making a fuss, and begging him to protect her.

But then Asher showed up out of nowhere, playing the big brother role like he’d earned it, acting as if he were the most caring big brother in this world!

Now, Lucien had two damn thorns in his side.

Adrian and Asher.

And God help him if there were more.

He just hoped to hell there wasn’t another man waiting in line because Lucien wasn’t the type to share his love, even if they were her brothers. Especially not when it came to her.

Wait! What the hell am I even thinking!?

Lucien gripped the steering wheel tightly as the realization hit him.

When did this start?

When the hell did she start getting under his skin like this?

It was just a damn favor for Adrian and a request from him to protect a girl.

That’s all it was supposed to be.

And now?