She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 19

Keegan’s face flushed with rage. “Loyce, you hid that you’d been working hard and didn’t tell anyone! Of course we thought you cheated. Now you pull this? What, you think it’s fun?”

The dean couldn’t help speaking up. “They’re both your sisters, Byron. You’re clearly biased toward Quiana. Why have you never cared about Loyce’s grades? Her talent is obvious.”

Byron looked guilty for a split second, then forced himself to say, “I’ve been fair to both. Loyce is the problem.”

Loyce’s voice stayed flat. “Save it. Apologize.”

Holding back tears, Quiana’s shoulders caved. “I’m sorry, Loyce. It’s all my fault. I’ll take all the blame. Please don’t be angry at Byron. I’m sorry!”

She looked like she could barely hold herself together, then turned and ran out crying.

“Look what you’ve done!” Byron immediately lashed out at Loyce, then chased after Quiana.

Keegan tried to leave too, but two men stepped in from the hallway and clamped hands down on his shoulders. “Who said you could go?”

Keegan jolted. “Who the hell are you? What do you want?”

Robert, no longer in uniform, dragged Keegan with another man out to the crowded school field. He kicked Keegan hard enough to drop him to his knees, then bent down and tapped his cheek like it was a joke. “Honor the bet. You forgot already? Apologize to Loyce and bark like a dog.”

“I was kidding! Who takes that seriously?” Keegan’s face turned red. He regretted leaving his bodyguards at home.

Robert asked evenly, “Were you? If Loyce had done poorly, you wouldn’t have made her kneel on the field and bark?”

He couldn’t figure it out, but he had no choice. He dropped to the ground and shouted in humiliation, “Loyce, I was wrong! Woof, woof!”

Robert kicked him in the side. “Too quiet. Louder!”

Soon, Keegan’s furious barking echoed across the field. From far away, Quiana saw it and tears poured down her face, her heart shattering. She couldn’t understand it. Loyce had nothing left. Keegan didn’t need to honor that bet. Unless… he still cared about Loyce enough to degrade himself like this?

Angry, Quiana turned and walked away.

Loyce watched it all without reacting. After leaving the field, she stopped in front of a sedan. She’d noticed it the moment she entered campus. She bent and tapped on the window, her tone calm. “Mr. Shapiro. You’re the one helping me, aren’t you?”

The window slid down. Lucian sat quietly inside, the dim light casting a thin shadow over the sharp lines of his face.