She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 153

Loyce remained composed and smiled. “From my perspective, as the doctor keeping you alive, it makes perfect sense for you to keep a close watch on me. If something were to happen to me, you wouldn’t last long either, would you?”

Lucian gently tilted her chin up, his voice deep. “Even if you do have secrets, we had an agreement, didn’t we?”

He moved closer, stopping just before his lips met hers. Resisting the urge, he tilted his head slightly, his lips brushing against her ear as he kissed her hair. “Whether it’s murder or arson, I’ll cover for you.”

Loyce’s heart skipped a beat, thudding heavily in her chest. A subtle change finally flickered across her expression.

Lucian’s fingers gently caressed her cheek. “I’ll protect you, on one condition: don’t betray our country.”

He was a soldier, and that was his only line. Above that line, he would let her do as she pleased.

“I’m just a spoiled heiress who enjoys a life of leisure,” Loyce said with a smile. “How could I possibly be involved in something like that?”

Lucian didn’t respond, but the deep, sharp look in his eyes revealed he didn’t entirely believe her.

Of course, he had no intention of calling her bluff. Forcing her to reveal her true identity would only push her further away.

...

News of Loyce’s hospitalization leaked that same night. Her three older brothers, who were all away on business, rushed to her room, along with Gordon.

Forrest looked at the wound on her leg, his eyes filled with concern. “This was my oversight. I’ll immediately assign more security to protect you, Loyce.”

Morris looked equally distressed. His usually gentle tone was laced with anger, as it always was when Loyce was in trouble. “Where’s Hank? He needs to teach those people a lesson. How dare they touch my sister? They must have a death wish!”

Forrest replied, “Hank got the news and went to see Lucian. They’ve probably caught most of the culprits by now.”

Just as he finished speaking, the powerfully built Hank walked in. There were faint, hastily wiped bloodstains on his cuffs and fingers. “We caught one alive. I’ve already interrogated him.”

Meeting his sister’s gaze, Hank hid his blood-stained sleeve behind his back and softened his tone. “How are you, Loyce? Feeling any better? Does it still hurt? I have already avenged you.”

Gordon was fraught with guilt. “It’s all my fault for not being more careful. It must have hurt so much when you were injured, Loyce. I’ve already told that Winslet boy to get over here and apologize.”

The atmosphere in the room instantly tensed.

Loyce asked with a curious smile, “How would you know he feels terrible, Sybil? Did you two meet late last night?”

“N-no, I just…” Sybil shrank behind Alicia as if startled. “Yorick just… tells me things like that.”

Alicia quickly interjected, taking Loyce’s hand warmly. “Sybil has such a soft heart. That Yorick boy has been confiding in her a lot lately, so when this happened, she was more worried than anyone.”

She shot a meaningful glance at Gordon. “It’s nice to see the young ones getting along so well. It makes us elders happy.”

Loyce slowly withdrew her hand, a faint, unreadable smile on her lips. “Are you implying Yorick is pursuing Sybil? If so, congratulations.”

“Oh, we couldn’t possibly say such things out loud,” Alicia said with a light laugh, covering her mouth.

Loyce’s tone shifted. “But Yorick told me he never mentioned the jewel transport to anyone. Sybil, was he lying to me? Because that would be a serious matter. Surely the Winslet family wouldn’t intentionally try to harm me, would they?”