Chapter 1695: Strangers

Roxanne had no doubts about Lucian's business acumen. Hearing his reply, she relaxed slightly, confident he could rectify the losses incurred by the ten subsidiaries. Then, she remembered the unfamiliar woman from earlier in the ward. "Is Ms. Lane the one you married?" she asked, her eyes dull. Even though he'd done it to save her, the thought of him marrying another woman upset her. She began to pull away, wanting distance.

A flicker of anger crossed Lucian's eyes as he tightened his grip on her hand, noticing her struggle. "Do you have so little trust in me?" he asked, referring to Elektra and the children's parentage. Roxanne froze, sensing his fury, then a flame of hope ignited in her chest. Does he mean there's more to this? But he already got the antidote and saved me. There's no other explanation.

The woman had just awakened from her coma; Lucian couldn't bring himself to be truly angry. He tamped down his fury, explaining softly, "She's not interested in me, and I'm not interested in her. Our sham marriage is merely a step in confronting Jack."

Roxanne felt apologetic. She opened her mouth to apologize but couldn't find the words. Something told her this wasn't the only reason for his anger.

A tense silence fell, broken by noises from outside. Madilyn and Elektra returned with the doctors, who entered, immediately noticing the tension. A moment of silence followed.

"Roxanne, these doctors treated you during your coma," Madilyn explained.

Roxanne smiled gratefully. "Thank you for the past few days."

The doctors glanced at Lucian before waving their hands dismissively. "Mr. Farwell hired us. If you want to thank someone, thank him."

Roxanne turned to Lucian. "Thank you."

He hummed in acknowledgment, a frown of exasperation etched on his face. Reassured by this, Roxanne turned to Elektra. "Ms. Lane, I've heard from Lucian. We're strangers, but you've helped me immensely. Thank you."

Elektra, sensing the discord between Roxanne and Lucian, offered a smile to ease the tension. "I only agreed because of Lucian's anxiety for you. I was curious about you, seeing how worried he was. Now I understand. You do seem well-suited."

Roxanne's face flushed; she glanced at Lucian before thanking Elektra again. Elektra smiled and fell silent.

"Um…" the doctors began cautiously. "We'll be conducting a checkup now, so…" They wanted to ask the others to leave but hesitated, seeing Lucian's dark expression.

Roxanne intervened. "You should all go outside for now."

Lucian looked at her intently. She offered a reassuring smile. "I'm fine now. Besides, you obtained the antidote yourself. Don't worry."

Lucian finally stood and left the room.