She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 102

Sybil’s expression faltered for a moment before she put on her most pitiful look. “Lucian…”

With a soft click, the lighter closed. Lucian straightened up from the railing and started down the stairs. His presence alone was enough to make the crowd of wealthy heirs part like the Red Sea.

Loyce watched him approach, noting how rare it was to see someone like Lucian in a bar like this. The adoring gazes fixed on him were like a tidal wave, threatening to swallow him whole.

Lucian, however, was accustomed to such attention and paid it no mind. He stopped at the edge of the dance floor and looked down. “What’s all this commotion about?”

Leroy, who also idolized Lucian, immediately jumped off the stage to plead his case. “It’s all Loyce’s fault! She almost hurt my sister, that vicious woman!”

Sybil quickly pulled Leroy back, her voice dripping with false magnanimity. “That’s enough. Loyce was just angry for a moment. She didn’t push me; I fell on my own. Lucian, please don’t blame her.”

Loyce crossed her arms. This little drama queen was a master of manipulation. Loyce couldn't exactly punish her here, but that was fine. Dragging her into a dark alley for a proper lesson after this was always an option. If Sybil wanted to play games with camera blind spots, Loyce could play that game too.

Loyce already had a crude but satisfying plan forming in her mind when Lucian's unexpected appearance changed things.

“A bet’s a bet,” the man said, his unhurried voice silencing the entire bar. “You should have learned that in grade school, Leroy.”

Leroy’s face tightened. He opened his mouth to argue, but Lucian continued, “You don’t have the guts to honor your own bet, so you have your sister come out and play the victim?” He scoffed. “Is this how the Seabrooks taught you to conduct yourselves?”

By pointedly referring to them as Seabrooks, not Lonsdales, Lucian made his position clear to everyone. He was taking Loyce’s side.

Sybil’s face went pale. “Lucian, it’s not like that…”

Lucian held up a hand to stop her, his tone that of a disappointed elder. “Sybil, your brother might be a fool, but I expected better from you. Why are you part of this nonsense?”

Gavin suddenly caught Lucian’s eye and, after a subtle nod from him, spoke up. “We just had a security inspection, so I had to get the surveillance system working again. There’s definitely footage. Mr. Shapiro, I can pull it up for you.”

Sybil’s hopeful blush instantly turned into panicked dread. Working again? What a coincidence! “No, really, Lucian, you don’t have to!” she stammered.

“Sybil!” Leroy grabbed her hand. “Stop being so nice all the time! Loyce needs to apologize for what she did. We have to see that footage.”

A wide grin spread across Loyce’s face, and she almost laughed out loud. “Yes, we absolutely should. I’m all for it.”

Lucian pointed to the largest screen in the bar. “You know what to do. Put it up there.”

Then he turned back to the pale-faced Sybil and offered a placid smile. “I won’t let you be wronged, Sybil. I promise.”