She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 190

Lucian knew, without a doubt, that Loyce was connected to what had just happened, but he simply started the engine and drove away from the casino.

As Loyce leaned back against the seat with her eyes closed, she suddenly spoke. “What’s your relationship with Gavin? Can you tell me?”

Lucian glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “He’s the exclusive supplier of medical equipment for my fleet.”

Loyce’s eyes snapped open. “Oh? He does business with people like you and still dares to run a bar?”

“His family’s maritime medical technology is one-of-a-kind. It’s a patented, ancestral manufacturing technique. Everyone has to give him some degree of respect. As long as he doesn’t cross certain lines, he’s untouchable,” Lucian stated coolly.

“He was working with the Walsh family, doing things that harmed patients,” Loyce countered. “Did you protect him then, too?”

“Not me,” Lucian replied. “He did come to me for help clearing his name, and with pressure from the deputy mayor, we never found any concrete evidence of organ trafficking or embezzlement. The Walsh family took the fall for everything. It’s possible someone wanted them to be the scapegoats.”

Loyce rested her chin on her hand, tapping her finger against the window. “It would be a problem if he died, wouldn’t it?”

Lucian was silent for a moment. “Unless his family makes their patents public, then yes, it would be a huge problem. The medical equipment on the warships requires their people for maintenance and updates. If something went wrong, my soldiers would lose their medical support.”

“How are things at sea?” Loyce asked, changing the subject. “You have dark circles under your eyes. You look exhausted.”

Lucian’s lips curved into a slight smile. “What’s this? Are you worried about me?”

“I’m a patriot,” Loyce deadpanned.

“Nonsense,” Lucian chuckled, but he answered her anyway. “The final round of negotiations for the undersea oil field is next month. If we still can’t reach an agreement on allocation, we’ll be going to war.”

Loyce noticed her too. “Do you know her?”

Lucian found the whole idea of the engagement his grandfather had arranged—to a high school girl, no less—to be ridiculous and wasn’t eager to discuss it.

“A long time ago, my grandfather got into trouble and was saved by a woman from a small village,” he explained. “He made a promise to her. Now, her family has run into some trouble, and she’s come to us for help.”

“She looks like she’s been walking up this mountain all night,” Loyce observed.

Lucian put the car in reverse, backing up slowly until he was beside the girl. “I’m going to go see what’s going on.”

Loyce nodded.