She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 858

By the time the cruise concluded and the yacht docked, Lucian had recovered enough to travel. Wearing a dark beanie to conceal any surgical traces, a cashmere blanket draped over his lap, he was pushed off the ship in a wheelchair, expertly playing the role of a man severely weakened by illness.

Sigrid waved off the swarm of media waiting at the port and personally wheeled him into her private estate. "My father said he's officially naming you President of the Asia-Pacific division in two days. You'll have total control over the entire market."

"Are you happy?"

Lucian covered her hand with his. "I'm thrilled."

Sigrid smiled brightly. "Good."

But Horace wasn't entirely sold. He still viewed Loyce as a massive, lingering threat. After agonizing over the variables, he decided it was time to eliminate her permanently.

Ever since the missile strike targeting Ares Global, the Federation had quadrupled its national security grid. Loyce's mercenary syndicates couldn't operate freely on this soil. If Horace killed his daughter's biggest rival now, Stellar Trust's future would be bulletproof.

When Sigrid learned of the hit, she frowned. "Dad, I already have Lucian locked down. He loves me. There's no need to assassinate Loyce. You know how dangerous she is. Frankly, I respect the woman's sheer competence."

"The microchip I put in Lucian's head was designed specifically to counter Loyce's medical tech," Horace replied coldly. "What happens if she eventually cracks the code and removes it? Your perfect husband will run straight back to her. The only way a secret stays safe is if the key is buried in the ground."

Sigrid fell silent. "So you really believe the only reason he loves me is because of the chip?"

"Darling, we both know the truth," Horace said practically. "I only ever wanted him for his intellect. He's proven he has the brilliance to run this empire. What I need now is a bloodline—a child born from the two of you. I will personally mold my grandchild into the true ruler of Stellar Trust."

"I see..." Sigrid murmured, the pieces clicking together.

All the public praise and fatherly pride had been a smokescreen. Horace's true endgame was the genetic goldmine of a child. He wanted a perfect heir to brainwash and control.

"Do you want him to drop dead from a ruptured brain?" Horace asked bluntly.

Sigrid shook her head.

"Then we dispose of Loyce. Once you have his child, you can deactivate the chip and try to make him fall in love with you for real. And if he hates you? Then you lock him up. He's a high-end toy. You own him regardless. What difference does it make if it's him or Nathan Huxley?"

After a long silence, the twisted logic won her over. She nodded. "You're right. I know what needs to be done."

To test the chip's continued effectiveness, Horace deliberately orchestrated the assassination attempt right in front of Lucian.

A few days later, while out for a rare lunch date with Sigrid, Lucian spotted Loyce standing at a busy crosswalk. Suddenly, a massive commercial truck veered violently off the road, accelerating straight toward her.

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