She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 162

Seeing her brother's outburst, Sybil quickly interjected in a soft, placating tone, "Leroy, don't be like that... I'm sure Loyce got into the competition because she has real talent."

Her words seemed like an attempt to mediate, but they subtly implied that Loyce had, in fact, used her connections.

Fueled by her comment, Leroy's anger boiled over. "Talent? You mean she has a talent for bribing judges to knock you out of first place! They all pick on us! No one cares about us! No one likes us!"

Sybil's eyes instantly filled with tears, but she fought to keep them from falling, mastering a look of pitiable grief. "Leroy, please, stop..."

She gently took his arm, her voice choked with emotion. "It's all my fault. I'm not good enough, and that's why you have to suffer..."

Alicia chimed in, her own eyes reddening. "It's my fault as a mother. I'm not strong enough to protect you two."

Even Edgar couldn't stay silent. "Gordon, I know Loyce is your biological granddaughter, and it's natural to favor her, but could you please..."

"Cut the act."

Hank's voice sliced through the drama. After years in the mafia, his cold demeanor was more than enough to silence Alicia's family. His glare was menacing.

"Sybil, you know better than anyone whether that viral video was real or fabricated," he said, his tone dangerously low. "If you really want me to spell it out and tear away the facade, this won't end well for you."

His words sent a chill down the spines of both Sybil and Alicia, and a cold sweat broke out on their backs.

Sybil's heart hammered against her ribs. "Hank, I... I don't know what you're talking about."

Sybil's face drained of all color. After the second round, she had celebrated with a group of wealthy heirs and socialites, where Yuna had proudly announced that she was guaranteed to win first place, leading to a flood of premature congratulations. If the bribery scandal came out now...

Struggling to remain composed, Sybil probed cautiously, "How did you hear about that, Loyce? That's terrible. Did one of the contestants report it?"

"Apparently, it was Mr. X who discovered it," Loyce said, her eyes twinkling. "He's one of the judges for Harmony this year."

Sybil felt her limbs go weak. Mr. X was the most respected figure in the world of classical piano. If he accused her of bribery, her career would be over.

Alicia also grasped the severity of the situation. This was far more serious than Leroy being unable to enlist. This could ruin her daughter's reputation completely.