Chapter 1645: What on Earth Is This About?

After scrutinizing Lucian to ensure he wasn't feigning gratitude, Colby felt a surge of emotion. “What's your relationship with Dr. Jarvis now?” he blurted.

Lucian, hearing this, recalled Colby's earlier mockery. He'd been so worried about Roxanne that he'd completely forgotten Colby's words; he doubted he would have remembered them otherwise. “She and I are together, just as you guessed,” Lucian replied, his brows furrowing slightly. “I’ve proposed, and we’ll marry once she awakens.”

He added quietly, "Technically, she hasn't agreed, and she might refuse. Nevertheless, I'll do everything I can to make her say yes. I don't want to lose her again."

Surprise flickered across Colby's face. Then, remembering Lucian's earlier demeanor, a mix of relief and bitterness washed over him. “Of course. Of the three of us, you always had the best chance of winning her heart.” Neither Jack nor he, he realized, could love Roxanne without ulterior motives. Lucian, possessing ample power and wealth, loved Roxanne purely.

Perplexed by Colby's shift in demeanor, Lucian stood silently. Colby then lowered his gaze. “I sense Dr. Jarvis always deeply cared for you, though she never admitted it. I, too, lied to myself. Honestly, you're the only one she's ever loved. Six years ago or now, her feelings haven't changed.”

Lucian was overjoyed, but soon narrowed his eyes. Wait a minute… six years ago? If Roxanne’s love never wavered, what about Archie and Benny?

“Even though Dr. Jarvis deceived herself, those two boys have always been on your side,” Colby added with a bitter chuckle. “The bond of blood is astonishing. They’d never met you, yet were drawn to you.”

Roxanne, it turned out, was pregnant when she and Colby first met at Harvey's institute. Knowing Archie and Benny's background, Colby had felt a sense of crisis upon seeing their easy rapport with Lucian.

Lucian's frown deepened. “What did you say? What's this about the bond of blood?”

Now Colby was surprised. “Huh? Don’t you know?”

Lucian shook his head, images of Archie and Benny flooding his mind. Were they his children? Why hadn't Roxanne mentioned it? If not, why did he feel so close to them? He'd thought it was simply their likability, but he'd never lost his temper when they and Roxanne shunned him. He treated them like Essie—equally important.

The more Lucian considered it, the more suspicious he became. Crucially, they claimed their father had never appeared, and Roxanne forbade them from discussing it.

Lucian recomposed himself, fixing a stern gaze on Colby. “Tell me. What on earth is this about?”