She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 511

Loyce hesitated for a moment. Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open.

The man stepped out carrying a trash bag, wearing nothing but a black towel slung low on his hips. His bare chest was a canvas of countless scars. Drops of water cascaded down his broad shoulders, tracing the sharp lines of his abs before disappearing beneath the terry cloth.

The air between them instantly froze.

Lucian’s deep, dark eyes locked onto her.

"Yeah?"

The black plastic bag in Loyce's hand suddenly thrashed, splashing water onto the floor. She glanced down at it, then shoved it toward him, feigning composure. "Your birthday present."

"My birthday present?" Lucian repeated, his jaw tightening slightly. "Robert told you?"

He truly hated showing her this vulnerable side of himself—the part that secretly craved affection and normalcy.

Loyce didn't back down. "Do you want my gift or not?"

"Wait there."

He shut the door. The military housing compound didn't have the best soundproofing, and she could clearly hear the clinking of glass bottles as he hastily cleaned up inside. She guessed he had already downed quite a bit of alcohol alone tonight.

Two minutes later, Lucian re-emerged with another bag of trash, dropping it outside. He took her 'birthday present' and stepped aside to let her in.

He didn't have guest slippers, so he nudged his own toward her. "Wear these. There's no heating under the floorboards here, it gets cold."

Loyce obediently slipped her feet into his oversized slides. "The temperature dropped recently."

The apartment was actually freezing, feeling even colder than the hallway outside. She frowned at his bare torso.

"Yeah." Lucian walked over to the wall and hit the thermostat. "My body runs hot, so I usually leave the heat off. It'll warm up soon."

"I know. It's the lingering toxins in your system messing with your core temperature," Loyce said sternly. "But if you don't dress warmly, you'll still catch a cold."

"Understood, Doc. I'll put a shirt on in a minute." Lucian caught a whiff of something undeniably fishy coming from the bag. He peered inside and his eyebrows shot up.

Inside was a large, very much alive bass, thrashing wildly. A separate bag held some root vegetables, a rack of raw pork ribs, and a package of fresh pasta.

He didn't know what to say. A sudden laugh escaped him. "I have to admit, this is the most unique birthday gift I've ever received. A live fish, some carrots, and raw meat..."

Seeing his genuine smile, Loyce curled her toes inside the oversized slippers. It was a slightly embarrassing gift, but she kept her expression perfectly stoic. "Things didn't go as planned. Have you eaten?"

"No."

He retreated to his bedroom and threw on a gray knit sweater and black slacks. Even in casual clothes, his broad shoulders and muscular build were unmistakable. He was the definition of rugged.

Loyce opened the front door. "Let's go."

"Hold on."

He grabbed a red scarf from the closet, pulled her close, and wrapped it snugly around her neck, tucking her chin into the soft wool. He playfully pinched her cheek again. "They say the first snow is falling tonight. It's freezing."

He naturally intertwined his fingers with hers and led her out.

The motion-sensor lights flickered on one by one, illuminating their silhouettes walking hand-in-hand.

In the neighboring building, a few older residents returning from their evening chess game rubbed their eyes.

"Are my eyes playing tricks on me? Is that Lucian with our little doctor?"

"It can't be. The clinic has been run by an assistant lately; she hasn't been back in ages."

"Well, didn't the rumors say they were dating?"