Chapter 175: Luke fell sick
At Luke’s office...
Luke signed the last file Dominic had handed him before setting his pen aside.
"I heard you killed Asher." He looked up with a knowing smile. "Is that true?"
Dominic remained expressionless. He hadn’t killed Asher. Instead, he had hidden him in a secret location.
Picking up the signed file, he replied calmly, "He dared to orchestrate that accident. I almost died. I’ve been hunting him for months."
His gaze turned cold. "Last night, I finally found him."
Luke leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smirk spreading across his face. "You did well, Dominic. You’ve worked tirelessly these past few months. You eliminated Mathius’s most trusted men and crippled several of his businesses."
He folded his hands on the desk. "At this rate, Mathius’s empire will collapse sooner than expected."
Dominic remained silent. That had been his goal. At least, until he discovered the truth.
Now he knew he had been fighting the wrong enemy all along. And with the evidence safely in his possession, he would never make that mistake again.
This time, everyone involved would pay.
"That’s exactly what we planned," Dominic replied with a faint smirk.
Luke tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the desk. "You’ve been working without rest."
A meaningful smile appeared on his face. "And now you’ve become a father. You must miss Mila and your son. Why don’t you take a few days off and spend some time with them?"
Dominic’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
For months, Luke had insisted Mila was carrying Max’s child. Never once had he mentioned that the baby belonged to Dominic.
Why reveal the truth now? And why was he suddenly encouraging him to reunite with his family?
A warning bell rang in Dominic’s mind.
’What game are you playing now? Has he discovered that I’ve been secretly visiting Mila?’
Dominic had been extremely careful. No one should have known.
Could Luke have found out? Or was this another trap?
Suppressing every trace of suspicion, Dominic deliberately looked confused.
"What are you talking about?" His brows knitted together. "Didn’t you tell me Mila was carrying Max’s child?"
He stared at Luke in disbelief. "How did that baby suddenly become mine?"
Luke’s smile froze. For a split second, annoyance flashed across his face.
He had forgotten. He had never told Dominic the truth. And in a moment of carelessness, he had exposed his own lie.
Dominic noticed the fleeting panic in Luke’s eyes. He had taken the bait.
"Are you saying the baby is mine?" Dominic’s voice rose sharply. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Why did you lie to me all this time?"
He slammed both hands onto the desk. "Do you have any idea what I went through? I hated Mila. I believed she had betrayed me. I thought she married another man the moment she heard I was dead."
His breathing grew heavier. "And now you are telling me her son has been mine all along?"
Luke’s face darkened instantly. "How dare you raise your voice at me?"
He pounded the desk with his fist. "Have you forgotten who saved your life? If it weren’t for me, you’d already be dead!"
His voice thundered through the office. "You should be thanking me. I saved you. I saved Mila and the child she was carrying."
Dominic slowly clenched his fists. This time, his anger wasn’t an act.
If Luke hadn’t manipulated him from the very beginning, his gang would never have been destroyed. He and Mila would never have been separated. He wouldn’t have missed the birth of his own son.
Dominic remembered them all. And Luke would pay for each one.
"So..." Dominic said through gritted teeth. "You expect me to thank you for lying to me?"
"I lied to protect Mila and her child from Mathius," Luke snapped. "If I hadn’t—"
A violent coughing fit interrupted him. He bent forward, coughing uncontrollably. His breathing became ragged.
Dominic watched silently. The poison had finally begun to take effect. His lips curved almost imperceptibly.
"Mr. Bellini?" He hurried around the desk, pretending to be concerned. "Are you all right?"
Luke couldn’t answer. His throat burned. His chest felt as though it were on fire.
Suddenly, blood splattered onto his palm. He stared at it in horror.
"B-Blood..." Dominic widened his eyes in feigned shock. "What happened?"
Luke was too stunned to respond.
"I’ll take you to the hospital." Dominic immediately supported him to his feet and escorted him out of the office.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few hours later...
Luke sat inside a hospital room looking noticeably paler than before.
The doctor finished reviewing the test results. "Mr. Bellini, the tests indicate that you have a stomach ulcer."
He adjusted his glasses. "Your blood pressure is also quite high. You need proper rest."
Luke frowned. "Rest? You make it sound as if I never rest. I sleep every night. Isn’t that enough?"
The doctor shook his head. "Sleep alone isn’t enough. Continuous stress and overwork can worsen both conditions."
Dominic nodded in agreement. "The doctor is right, Mr. Bellini. You’ve been pushing yourself far too hard. Take a few days off. Go somewhere with your wife and relax."
Luke shot him a sharp look. "You know that’s impossible. My work isn’t finished yet."
The doctor sighed. "Mr. Bellini. Your health is far more important than business. If you continue exhausting yourself, your condition will only get worse. Then what use will all your wealth be?"
Luke fell silent. For the first time, uncertainty appeared on his face.
Sensing his hesitation, Dominic spoke again. "Let Matteo oversee the business for a few days. The rest of us can handle everything else."
Luke still looked unconvinced.
Dominic leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Mathius’s empire is already crumbling. We’ll continue exactly as planned. Nothing will go wrong. You can take a short break."
Luke thought for a long moment. Then he suddenly grabbed Dominic’s wrist and pulled him closer. His eyes filled with hatred.
"I want Mathius destroyed." His voice was barely above a whisper. "Never forget what he did to Alejandro or to your brothers."
Dominic’s expression remained calm.
Months ago, those words would have reignited his hatred. Now, he knew they were nothing more than carefully crafted lies. No one would manipulate him ever again.
"I haven’t forgotten. You should focus on recovering. I’ll take care of everything else."
He gently freed his wrist before straightening. "I’ll contact Mrs. Bellini. I’ll arrange a vacation for both of you."
Without waiting for a response, Dominic walked out of the room.
Only after the hospital door closed behind him did a faint smile appear on his lips. He took out his phone and dialed Celeste’s number.
She answered after only a few rings.
"Mr. Bellini is in the hospital," Dominic said calmly. "He coughed up blood."
"Really?" Excitement burst from Celeste’s voice. "Does that mean he is finally going to die?"
Dominic’s expression immediately hardened. He glanced around the empty corridor before lowering his voice.
"Be careful. You can’t let anyone suspect you. I know."
She laughed softly. "I was just too happy when I heard the news."
"He needs someone to take care of him." Dominic’s tone dripped with sarcasm. "I’m arranging a nice vacation for the two of you."
He paused before adding meaningfully, "Make sure he enjoys every moment of it and never returns to work."
Celeste immediately understood. A smile crept onto her lips.
"Don’t worry. I know exactly what to do."
The call ended.
Dominic slowly lowered his phone. A dangerous glint flashed across his eyes.
’Luke Bellini, your time is up.’
