She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 583

Even though Lucian sought medical help immediately, the battery of tests only offered a marginal sense of relief.

"Thankfully, it's just a heavy-duty aphrodisiac, not a lethal poison," the ship's doctor explained.

Lucian furrowed his brow, mentally retracing his steps to figure out where things went wrong. His mind landed on the glass of wine Channing had handed him. But Channing had grabbed it randomly from a passing tray... unless, of course, they had orchestrated the whole thing from the start. It made perfect sense.

He crossed his legs, shifting uncomfortably to conceal the undeniable physical reaction. "So, where's the antidote?"

The doctor looked apologetic. "We don't stock anything for this kind of situation on board. And since I don't know the exact dosage you consumed, I can't give you a precise timeline. But it shouldn't last longer than twenty-four hours."

Lucian let out a heavy sigh. "What about a sedative?"

"It won't counteract the physical effects," the doctor shook his head. "I'd advise locking yourself in your room if you want to avoid any... complications."

"Got it."

Lucian braced both hands against the bathroom sink, his breathing ragged.

He stared at his reflection. His eyes were dark with unbridled desire, his head was spinning, and every breath he exhaled felt like fire.

He splashed cold water on his face, but it did nothing to cool the relentless heat coursing through him.

Frowning, he was just about to lock himself in a stall to take care of the problem when a waiter knocked on the outer door, his voice trembling. "Mr. Shapiro? Miss Lonsdale said she has an urgent matter to discuss with you. She's asking you to come to her room."

A moment later, the door swung open. Lucian's eyes were bloodshot as he asked hoarsely, "Why didn't she come herself?"

"Mr. Winslet is with her," the waiter replied. "She couldn't get away."

Yorick clearly hadn't taken the previous warning to heart. Driven by a volatile mix of possessiveness and the drug clouding his judgment, Lucian took the stairs two at a time.

The waiter led him to a door and stepped aside. Lucian pushed it open and saw a woman lying on the bed, her hair beautifully disheveled. The top two buttons of her blouse were undone, offering a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage.

The deliberately romantic lighting and the way her hair obscured her face sent a fresh wave of heat straight to Lucian's core.

Biting the inside of his cheek to maintain a shred of clarity, he approached the bed and gently helped her sit up, his voice laced with tender concern. "I'm here."

Jasmine turned to look at him, her face painted with a minimalist, elegant makeup look. Her expression was a mix of blatant desire and overwhelming thrill. It was the closest she had ever been to him, and her desperation to have him had reached its absolute peak.

Without a second glance, ignoring her desperate, half-naked pleas, he turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Jasmine hastily pulled her clothes together and stumbled after him. She couldn't let any other woman—especially Loyce—find him like this. But the heat in her own body was becoming unbearable. She had no idea what went wrong; she hadn't taken any drugs!

Her willpower was nowhere near as ironclad as Lucian's. Hearing voices echoing from the end of the hallway, panic set in. Terrified of being seen in such a disheveled state, she pushed open a door that was slightly ajar and threw herself inside.

Inside the dimly lit room, Thane Crown sat with a flushed face, watching a girl stumble toward him. In his hazy state, he thought it was Sybil. He caught the girl as she fell into his arms and kissed her ravenously.

The kiss was like water to a man dying of thirst. Within seconds, they were tearing at each other's clothes, rolling onto the bed.

Soon, the bedroom was filled with the unmistakable sounds of heavy breathing and moans.

...

Blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding, Loyce was sitting on the deck in high spirits, sipping champagne as she watched the last traces of the sunset dip below the horizon.

Before she knew it, she had polished off an entire bottle. The rare, uninterrupted peace had left her feeling utterly relaxed, and she had indulged a bit too much.