She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 630

"I can't guarantee anything, but from a man's perspective, there are two ways this plays out."

Having quickly rinsed off, Lucian wrapped a towel around his waist and picked up his phone. His short hair was damp and plastered to his scalp, making his sharp, chiseled features look even more striking as steam curled off his skin.

"Scenario one: it was a genuine slip-up. He figured one time wouldn't result in anything and decided to ignore her. The moment he finds out she's pregnant, if there's no real feelings there, his first reaction will be to get rid of the problem. He'll handle it."

Loyce's brow knit tightly. "Force her to get an abortion?"

"Or pay her off to vanish. It might not be the worst outcome," Lucian said practically. "That's how wealthy families handle 'accidents.' They rarely discard their own bloodline. The standard protocol is to cut a massive check, take the kid, and walk away."

"So... the only one discarded is the mother."

Lucian's voice deepened. "Elite marriages are entirely built on transactional value. If Hank steps up and insists on marrying her, then it's actually love."

"Do you think they could work?" she asked.

"That's not up to us. That's up to them. But as an outsider, all I see is the man who runs the Costa family in Mexistar. He's a mafia boss."

Loyce's eyes flickered.

Lucian offered a slight smile. "That's not a secret to me. I'm just pointing out that Hank exists in a lethal, gray world. Giselle is a sweet college student who doesn't have a single self-preservation instinct. We all know how incredibly kind and innocent she is. But can a girl like that survive as a mafia boss's wife?"

In the criminal underworld, traits like "innocence" and "kindness" weren't compliments—they were fatal liabilities.

"Does Giselle have the ruthlessness to keep a cartel in line? In my eyes, putting her in that world is like throwing a rabbit into a wolf's den. She'd be ripped apart before she even knew what hit her."

"Loyce, she isn't you."

Whether it was martial prowess or managing a shadowy empire, a relationship with Hank was a death sentence for a normal girl.

"So..." Loyce murmured. "Even if he really likes her, he won't be with her. Just like you—the ultimate reason is to protect her."

The smile on Lucian's lips faded slightly, his tone softening. "Yes. For protection. But you don't need my protection. You are terrifyingly strong. You're a queen who can stand beside me."

It wasn't a rehearsed compliment; it was the absolute truth.

Loyce let out a soft sigh. "I understand. It's getting late. Go to sleep."

"When do you get back?"

"The plan is to stay out here for a week."

Giselle was feeling much better today and had joined the excursion. As she marveled at the animals, Jean suddenly poked her neck. "What's that huge red mark?"

Giselle's relaxed expression instantly turned to sheer panic. She frantically pulled a bottle of bug spray from her bag and sprayed her neck. "The bugs out here are vicious! It must have bitten me while I was sleeping."

Loyce glanced over and saw the red mark Giselle was desperately trying to hide. It wasn't a mosquito bite; it was a dark, bruising hickey left by a heavy mouth.

She looked away, her feelings complicated. Clearly, her brother cared enough to secretly follow the poor girl on vacation without even telling his own sister.

They spent two days chasing the herds, capping off the trip by experiencing the wild nightlife at a designated luxury campsite on the savanna.

Sagan was supposed to give a presentation to the group, but he had stepped away to take a phone call, leaving a colleague to keep the crowd entertained.

When he didn't return after a while, Loyce's phone buzzed with an anonymous message from Nightingale.

*Corinne's itinerary just changed. She's arriving at The Klein Conservancy tomorrow to give her speech. They moved it up a day.*

Loyce locked her screen. Seeing Sagan looking incredibly distressed as he finished his call in the distance, she grabbed a hot coffee and walked over.

"What happened?" she asked.