She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 829

Loyce immediately dialed Robert's number, only to be hit with incredibly disturbing news.

Robert sounded completely baffled. "The President issued a classified, zero-hour directive. The Admiral stepped out of the briefing room, boarded a chopper, and took off immediately to execute a top-secret black op."

Loyce's brow furrowed sharply. "A black op? Now?"

"I don't get it either," Robert admitted, his voice tight with worry. "He was supposed to be grounded to prepare for the wedding. Why would the President force him into the field now? There was no prep, no heads-up, and he didn't take a single man from our unit with him."

Hearing that, Loyce knew exactly how bad the situation was. She needed to see the President immediately, but without a formal appointment or security clearance, she couldn't just walk through the gates of the Presidential Palace.

She drove straight to Zeke Shapiro's estate to leverage his status. When the old man heard his grandson had been shipped out on a ghost mission days before his wedding, he was furious.

Zeke didn't know anything about it. But he had a direct line to the President's private desk, and he dialed it right in front of Loyce.

Less than two minutes into the call, Zeke's face contorted with rage. "He shouldn't be running ops! He doesn't even want to be an Admiral anymore! Why the hell are you forcing him to bleed for you?!"

"Please calm down, sir. The Admiral was not forced to do anything. The President and I would never coerce him. The fact is, he accepted the assignment and departed immediately. I am deeply sorry for the timing regarding your family's personal affairs, but national security takes precedence. Please understand."

"Bullshit!" Zeke had maintained an iron-clad composure his entire life, but now he was screaming. He glanced at Loyce, his chest heaving. "I know Harding is listening on the other end. You listen to me. Marrying Loyce is the single most important thing in Lucian's life! The world could be burning down, and he still wouldn't walk out on her right now! I know how much he loves his wife! He would never voluntarily abandon her for a mission! Never! Where the hell did you send him?!"

"Sir, please don't make baseless accusations. As I said—"

Zeke cut him off, directly addressing the President. "Harding! Lucian has bled for you. He put you in that seat! After over a decade of brotherhood, are you seriously trying to execute him just when he's finally found happiness?! You know better than anyone that he's no threat to you! He has no political ambition!"

Silence fell over the line.

A few moments later, a calm, measured voice spoke. "Zeke. It was a classified mission, and Lucian truly volunteered for it. He said it was the last thing he would do for me before he retired. I am not lying. He chose to delay the wedding. I'm sorry."

"Harding? If you want to play this game, you'd better put a titanium guard around your neck. Because before your ass even has time to warm that chair, your head will be rolling across the floor."

The assistant broke out in a cold sweat. "Watch your mouth! Threatening the life of the President is high treason!"

Loyce hung up. The line went dead.

In the grand living room, Zeke collapsed back into his armchair, his face ghostly pale. His frantic butler rushed over with a glass of water and blood pressure medication.

Zeke looked up, his old eyes sharp and filled with devastating realization. He understood exactly what was happening. "Lucian spent his whole life defending that man. They were closer than blood. I thought Harding would treat him with respect. I never... I never imagined Harding would be so terrified of his influence that he'd try to wipe him off the board entirely."

"He walked in there completely unshielded. He trusted him," Zeke choked out. "I'll pull every contact I have. Loyce, please, use your family's network. Find out where he went. We might still have time to pull him out."