Of all people, why him and not Rafael? He had always been warm and amiable, especially considering that Hera should have issues with Rafael’s sister. Now, as they discuss finding more clues to help with the case involving Rafael’s sister, shouldn’t Hera be directing her difort toward Rafael, rather than him—someone who was supposed to be helping?


    Overwhelmed by these emotions, Luke felt as though his heart was being crushed by a boulder, and he despised it. Before he realized it, he began to act out of character. If Rafael hadn’t reminded him of who he was, Luke might have lost hisposure entirely, driven by the urge to bite Hera’s lips and take her on the table, driven to the brink by his inability to handle her gaze. It was a moment of intense frustration that pushed him toward reckless behavior.


    But if he did, he would only be undermining his position in her heart. He knew that his feelings had overtaken his ability to judge and think properly so without further ado, he sat back straight on his chair and pulled out his phone to make a call, after the first ring, his subordinate picked up the call.


    "Boss, how can I assist you?" The man on the other end spoke in a gruff yet respectful tone.


    Luke skipped the formalities and went straight to the point. "I need you to investigate anyone connected to a gang of criminals who have been brutally killing young women over the past few days. It’s bing rming. Find out who is behind these orders and gatherplete evidence. If no one is willing to talk, you know what to do." His voice, previously warm, had turned into a chillingly cold and authoritative baritone, conveying a dangerous seriousness.


    Even without asking, it was clear to everyone that Luke was speaking with the contact Rafael had mentioned from the underground world. No one dared to inquire further, understanding that it was a matter of Luke’s business and not their ce to delve into.


    No one heard the response from the man on the other end of the call, as Luke had not put his phone on speaker. He kept the volume at a moderate level, so while his own voice and responses were audible, the conversation on the other end remained private.


    If everyone would consider this aspect, Luke would really appear suspicious but with his usual demeanor, everyone would just assume that he wanted privacy and it only meant that he was doing a great job in his cover, and wouldn’t be easy to suspect him of being involved in the mafia.


    "Alright, I’ll send you a copy of the evidence we have on hand. Use it as a guide to track these people down. Besides gathering evidence and identifying the mastermind behind these crimes, do nothing else but keep the criminals contained until further notice," Luke added. After a brief response from the person on the other end, Luke ended the call with a smile. The tense atmosphere lifted instantly as if the storm had passed and nothing had happened.


    He then turned towards Hera, who was still resting in Rafael’s embrace, having had no chance to react to the rapid session of events that had unfolded. Her mind hadn’t caught up. Hera stared at Luke, who was looking at her with an expectant expression as if he were waiting for praise for his negotiation skills—even though it hardly seemed like a negotiation.


    Even Gerald hadn’t expected it to be so straightforward. What had stumped him for a long time to infiltrate was handled effortlessly by Luke. This made Gerald feel that aligning with Luke through a marriage alliance was far preferable to making him an enemy. Although no one had explicitly exined the situation, he sensed that the rtionship between Luke and the person on the other end was one of superior and subordinate, with a solid grasp of the underground world and possibly a high standing in its hierarchy.