Dominic's outburst startled Alexander, who then realized he had underestimated the older man. He'd assumed Dominic was angry at Lily, but his concern was for her safety.

After a moment's silence, Alexander sighed almost inaudibly. "It's not like you don't know Lily."

This nearly silenced Dominic, but his dissatisfaction lingered. "So, what? Aren't you like her? She's your wife! Shouldn't you love and protect her? You weren't there before, but now you are—how can you let her do something so dangerous? Don't you know where she is? She's walking into a lion's den!"

He continued, his voice rising, "That brat, Austin, nearly died there, and his life is still at risk. Now Lily wants to join that organization?! If I recall, she barely escaped that research institute. Has she lost her mind? Are you both insane?!"

Another surge of anger washed over him. He thrust Galen into Alexander's arms. "Go! Take your son and leave! I'm not helping you two! I won't drive myself crazy for you! Tell Lily she either cares for the child or..."

He hesitated, unable to utter the harsh thought in Galen's innocent gaze. Finally, he waved dismissively. "Enough! I'm done cleaning up your messes!"

Alexander smiled helplessly. "Mr. Fike, Lily left this morning. I'm afraid it's too late. Also..." He paused, looking at the older man. "While you've withdrawn from the world, you're surely aware of what's happening. With this organization's rampant, reckless behavior, everyone will be affected if we don't fight back. Instead of passively suffering, active involvement offers a degree of control. Besides, I've told Lily to prioritize her safety."

This didn't entirely convince Dominic, but it calmed him. He glanced at Alexander and snorted coldly. "Prioritize herself? That girl! What good is telling her that? With her temperament, she'll ignore danger."

Alexander chuckled at the older man's grumbling. "You know her well, but we must trust her. I'm not idly standing by. The organization is powerful, but the Russell family has influence in this country. I'd do anything to protect her, even sacrifice our family's wealth."

It wasn't a boast; Alexander meant every word. Dominic studied him, finally appearing more at ease. He hummed, settling back down with the child, gently stroking Galen's back while looking at Alexander. "What's your plan?"

"I've arranged surveillance. Catching them is easier now that their activities are more overt. However, I don't know what resources they still have, what poisons they've developed, or how far they've spread. Lily is there to learn so we can take them down all at once."

The older man remained silent for a long time, then sighed bitterly. "What is wrong with this world?"

He had secretly investigated the organization's origins, but the forces behind it were vast and mysterious, leaving no trace. Any lead he found abroad quickly reached a dead end, even his investigators falling victim to mysterious accidents. The organization was far more dangerous than anticipated, demanding caution.