She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 853

The plan moved forward with absolute precision. Convinced she possessed both Lucian's heart and body, Sigrid was practically walking on air, her mind entirely consumed by the romance of their upcoming luxury cruise.

Lucian had booked a mega-yacht that would make a temporary stop near their home country. There, a team organized by Heath would use forged credentials to board as cargo handlers and catering staff. Their real mission: secretly converting a staff utility room into a sterile operating theater.

It was an unprecedented logistical nightmare. Heath pulled every string he had, eventually calling in several chief surgeons from Blossom Hospital. They were former combat medics with extensive experience in high-stress, field-expedient surgeries, all of whom owed their careers to Loyce.

When they learned of Loyce's pregnancy and Lucian's desperate need to keep her out of the operating room, every single one of them swore absolute secrecy.

Everything was in place. The cruise ship docked on schedule. Under the cover of a rainy night, the doctors, dressed as crew members, cleared multiple security checkpoints and seamlessly blended into their assigned posts.

But there was a wild card no one anticipated. Sigrid had sent a VIP invitation for the cruise's pre-wedding bachelor/bachelorette party to Loyce. Not under her real name, however, but addressed to the legendary musician, Mr. X.

Up on the deck, the lights were dazzling, and a massive champagne tower sparkled in the night air.

Sigrid had gone all out. The party was loud, extravagant, and packed with global elites.

Lucian stood in the center of the crowd, looking immaculate in a tailored black suit, holding a flute of champagne he hadn't touched.

"Everyone!" Sigrid announced into the microphone, practically glowing with smug satisfaction. "Thank you all for coming to my pre-wedding bash! In just a few days, I'll be marrying this incredible man—"

She turned to Lucian, her eyes swimming with toxic possessiveness and infatuation.

Lucian's lips curved into the perfect, restrained smile of a man deeply in love.

Someone in the crowd cheered, "Kiss! Kiss!"

Sigrid beamed, tilting her face up expectantly.

Lucian lowered his head and pressed a fleeting, chaste kiss to her forehead.

The crowd erupted in applause. Flushing, Sigrid raised the microphone again, her voice dripping with pride. "To make tonight truly unforgettable, I've managed to secure an appearance by the world's most exclusive pianist, Mr. X, to celebrate with us."

A collective gasp rippled through the gathered socialites.

"The mysterious Mr. X? People only ever hear his recordings. No one's actually seen his face!"

"Only the Princess of Stellar Trust could pull strings like that."

"I am a massive fan. This is insane."

The deck buzzed with excited whispers.

But the moment Lucian heard the name 'X', his expression darkened, his voice dropping to a glacial chill. "You invited Mr. X?"

"Of course!" she chirped. "It took forever to track him down, but having someone of that caliber play for me is the ultimate status symbol."

In Lucian's fragmented memories, he knew with absolute certainty that Loyce *was* Mr. X. Her musical genius was terrifying. He had explicitly ordered Quintin to intercept the invitation. How the hell did it slip through?

A second later, the grand double doors of the banquet hall swung open.

The crowd naturally parted.

"After all, everyone knows who you really are. You're the woman who cost Lucian his leg. You abandoned him on that island, left him to deal with terrorists alone, and now he needs a cane."

She glanced at the elegant cane in Lucian's grip before turning a triumphant glare back to Loyce.

"And now that he's finally found true happiness, you're stalking him like a desperate ex. What, hoping to ruin his life a second time?"

Loyce looked at her. Her gaze was as calm and deep as a bottomless well.

When Sigrid finally finished her rant, Loyce simply let out a soft, melodic laugh.

It was an effortless, radiant sound that somehow silenced the entire deck.

"Are you done?" Loyce asked mildly.

Sigrid choked on her next insult.

Loyce reached into her clutch, pulled out a thick, embossed envelope, and handed it to a nearby steward.

The steward took it, opened it, and read the gold lettering aloud:

"You are cordially invited: Mr. X, to attend the pre-wedding celebration of Ms. Sigrid..."

Dead silence fell over the party.

Not realizing the implications, Sigrid sneered. "The person I actually invited didn't show. You stole his invitation, and you have the nerve to have my staff read it out loud?"