She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 44

Loyce didn’t hesitate. She slid into his car.

The world relay series was running its most infamous stage on Metropia’s mountain road. The elevation drop from summit to base was brutal, the turns were tight, and the course was so technical it turned skilled drivers into wrecks.

The helicopter circled the mountain once. A light rain misted down at higher altitude.

Lucian spoke evenly. “As far as I know, this track hasn’t been used in five years. The temperature shift alone is hard on the car. It demands precision from the driver, and it has one of the highest fatality records.”

“You know a lot,” Loyce said, lounging back like they were heading to a movie, not a death trap.

Lucian’s gaze stayed on her. His voice was low, controlled. “Are you confident? I’ve never seen you in the official championship races. Is this your first time?”

“First official one,” Loyce admitted, her smile sharpening. In the dark, her eyes lit with a fierce need to win. “But my experience? Nobody can touch it.”

She was young, but the confidence rolling off her was the kind that made people believe her without realizing why.

...

The helicopter touched down at the base of the mountain. No rain here. The area was crowded—race cars lined up, spectators packed in, engines growling like impatient animals.

Loyce jumped out. She turned back to thank him, then noticed Lucian’s face half-hidden in the dim cabin, a flicker of restrained discomfort crossing his features.

She paused, looked up at the sky once, then unzipped her backpack and pulled out a small candy. She tore open the wrapper and lifted her hand toward him. “Lean down.”

Lucian hesitated for three seconds, then bent out of the helicopter doorway, lowering his head to her. “What—”

Before he could finish, she pressed the candy to his lips. Her soft fingertip brushed his mouth, sparking something strange and sharp.

“He can’t eat anything untested!” Robert, the soldier assigned to protect him, stepped forward instantly.

Loyce ignored him. She used the candy to nudge Lucian’s lips open and slipped it in, then wiped her damp fingers casually on her clothes. “It’s medicinal candy I made. Your body’s only just recovering from the treatment. You’re not fully adjusted to takeoff and landing pressure changes. This will help.”

There was no medicinal bitterness, just a clean mint taste. The tight, uncomfortable heaviness in Lucian’s chest eased almost immediately. He lifted a hand to stop Robert. “I’m fine. It works.”

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