She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 186

Loyce’s fingertips grazed the surface of hers, a sharp glint in her eyes. “All in,” she said, her red lips parting as she pushed her last five hundred million in chips to the center of the table.

Serpent let out a savage grin. “I call.”

As the final card was dealt, Loyce noticed an almost imperceptible, lightning-fast movement from Serpent. He was trying to cheat.

Lucian, standing nearby, saw it too. He gently placed a hand on Loyce’s shoulder and gave it a light tap, a subtle warning.

Loyce, whose hand rested in her lap, made a minute gesture. A tiny steel ball, hidden under her fingernail, shot out from her fingertip. It flew under the table and struck Serpent’s hand just as he was about to swap a card. He cried out in pain as the strange object hit him, yanking his hand back.

“Is something wrong, Serpent?” Loyce asked with a faint smile, the outcome of the hand now sealed. “Let’s see the cards.”

It was too late for him to switch them now. Serpent’s lips tightened. He stared at the girl across from him, who still looked like an innocent, naive gambler completely lost in the game. He figured it couldn't have been her; it must have been the mysterious masked man beside her.

Tonight’s winnings had come so quickly and easily that it had clouded his judgment. He decided to play the hand straight, convinced the brainless little thing across from him would lose everything anyway.

The cards were turned over.

Serpent: Ace of spades, Ace of hearts, Ace of diamonds. A powerful three of a kind.

Loyce: 10, Jack, and Queen of clubs. A scattered, unpromising hand.

“Looks like the lady’s luck has run out,” Serpent thought with a smug certainty, reaching for the mountain of chips.

But Loyce let out a soft laugh and placed her hand over the chips. “What’s the rush? There are still two cards to be revealed, aren’t there?”

Serpent’s laughter was unrestrained. “You’re not that lucky.”

“Am I not?”

Loyce’s slender fingers gently flipped over her final hole card—the King of clubs.

“A straight?” Serpent scoffed. “That still doesn’t beat my three of a kind!”

Before his words had even faded, Loyce’s fingertip tapped the table. “Dealer, the river card, please.”

The entire room held its breath.

The card was turned over slowly—the Nine of clubs!

“I…” Adele was filled with regret. “Well, I’m sure Loyce won’t let you go down for this. I’ll… I’ll go apologize to her if I have to.”

The more perceptive onlookers now noticed that the spoiled, arrogant expression had vanished from Loyce’s face. It was replaced by an air of casual control, as if the entire night had been her grand design. This, they realized, was her true self.

It finally dawned on everyone: this woman wasn’t a fool. She was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

After cashing in her chips, Loyce returned the one billion to Lucian. “Good thing, too. Now you don’t have to go broke and live on the streets with me.”

Lucian sighed softly. “A shame.”

“But why did you lie to me?” he then asked.

Loyce simply handed him a drink, offering a dismissive explanation. “A college girl gambling in a casino… it doesn't exactly sound good, does it? Naturally, I kept it quiet.”

Lucian accepted the drink. “Who taught you to play like that? Almost no one saw you stop him from cheating.”

Loyce countered, “But you did, didn’t you?”