Magic 135

“I’m fine with no public announcement, but I’ll need some compensation,” Lucius said. 

Before Valerie could ask what that compensation was, his hand slid behind her neck as he leaned in for a deep, demanding kiss. 

Deep down, he reasoned that just because they were not going public today didn’t mean they wouldn’t do it tomorrow. When the time was right, he would let the whole world know that 

Valerie was his wife. 

Lucius was a skilled kisser, and Valerie soon found herself melting into the moment. Their chemistry was so intense that they became breathless and tangled up in desire. 

Lost in the heat, Lucius tore open her white lab coat and murmured, “Do you mind doing it here?” 

His patience was wearing thin after so many failed attempts. 

Dazed from the kiss, Valerie snapped back to her senses just as Lucius was about to take things further and firmly stopped him. “Not here.” 

He swept her up into his arms. “Alright. Let’s go home now. 

Just then, Valerie’s stomach growled loudly. Lucius stopped mid–step and asked, “Hungry?” 

Valerie nodded. “A little.” 

“What do you want to eat?” 

‘Baked lasagna.” 

He gently tapped her forehead. “That’s too heavy. I’ll take you somewhere else.” 

As it turned out, Lucius did come to deliver a housewarming gift. It was a pair of emerald guardian lions, each carved from flawless trapiche emerald. 

The emerald itself was of unexceptional quality, flawless in texture and color, and with undoubtedly staggering value, 

Lucius explained, “I bought these lions at an auction. They’re antiques, not worth too much, but perfect for protecting a home and warding off negative energy. This mansion is over a century old and has sat empty for too long. Even if you’re just using it as a lab, it’s wise to take certain precautions.” 

Valerie examined the craftsmanship and appearance of the emerald lions. She couldn’t help 

X CLOSE 

Chapter 136 

admitting that they were exquisite treasures for home protection. 

“Thank you. You really didn’t have to,” she said, feeling sincerely grateful. 

“There’s no need for thanks between us.” He pinched her cheek playfully. 

212 

He instructed Silas to position the lions according to their proper orientation before finally leading Valerie out of the mansion. 

Waiting outside wasn’t his usual MPV, but a sleek black Cayenne. 

“Did you change cars?” she asked, surprised. 

“Anything you don’t like seeing won’t appear again,” Lucius replied. 

Something in her chest subtly shifted. Lucius was never one for sweet talk, but every word he spoke seemed to carry a compelling charm. 

“Will you ride with me today?” he asked and opened the car door for her. 

Although Valerie had a short temper, she was never unreasonably stubborn. So when she obediently took her seat in the back, Lucius smiled in satisfaction. “I’ll have someone drive your car back later.” 

On their way to the restaurant, Valerie asked, “If you arrived so early, why did you just wait in the car? If I hadn’t returned again tonight, wouldn’t you have come for nothing?” 

He looked genuinely wronged. “You blocked my number, so my calls never go through. And as for why I didn’t knock… There’s just something unusual about your gate.” 

Up front, Silas twitched his lips. He never thought the day would come when Lucius would receive such harsh treatment and have his number blocked by his wife. 

Valerie smiled apologetically. “That’s a habit I picked up during experiments. I’ll unblock your 

number in a minute. 

“And for the record, my gate isn’t unusual. There’s an array around it, so outsiders usually can’t enter.” 

That was when Lucius finally understood why Skyler and his men had been acting strangely earlier during the day. The array did sound a little interesting.