She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 571

He didn't lose his temper. He didn't even furrow his brow. His gaze rested on the couple gliding across the center of the dance floor. Seeing Loyce's hand resting lightly on Yorick's shoulder was an eyesore, but he knew she always had her own principles and reasons for the things she did.

"Ms. Hampton," he began, his voice completely level, betraying no emotion whatsoever, as if simply stating a basic fact. "Don't just use your eyes to judge a situation."

He slowly turned to look Jasmine squarely in the face. His gaze carried a piercing, condescending intensity that instinctively made her tense up.

"One dance and a few rumors are enough for you to be certain of a betrayal?" he chuckled softly, a hint of undetectable mockery in his tone. "What exactly have you been through, Ms. Hampton? Are you constantly being cheated on?"

Jasmine's face instantly twisted into an ugly grimace. "I'm just warning you! You ignore a woman who's willing to give you her whole heart, yet you let some manipulative schemer play you like a fiddle!"

...

The entire room was whispering about Loyce's dance with Yorick.

She could hear the gossip, of course. She was feeling irritable, deeply annoyed by Yorick's presumptuousness, though she kept her expression perfectly composed.

Yorick didn't cross any lines during the dance; he was simply relishing the opportunity to be in such close proximity to this radiant pearl of a woman.

As the song ended, he respectfully released her waist, murmuring, "I only wish I had discovered you sooner. I just hope I'm not too late."

Loyce pulled away from his touch. "There won't be a next time. I'm tired," she said coldly.

She hadn't eaten anything since boarding the yacht, and the physical exertion of the dance had left her stomach rumbling.

Taking advantage of the gap between songs, she lifted the hem of her gown and headed toward the dessert spread to grab a quick bite.

Just as she reached out to pick up a pastry, a hand clamped down on her arm from behind, pulling her gently backward.

The deck was filled with a dizzying mix of designer perfumes, confusing her sense of smell. For a moment, she couldn't recognize the scent of the person behind her and instinctively assumed Yorick was being relentless.

She frowned and tried to tug her arm away.

"I said, I need a break."

Turning around, she realized she had the wrong guy.

Yorick was tall but lean, his hands uncalloused. The man standing before her now, however, had rough, calloused palms that grazed her skin. He towered over her by more than a head, his broad shoulders casting a shadow that completely enveloped her.

"Isn't it obvious?"

The voice above her head was as casual as ever, yet laced with a subtle hint of jealousy. "I'm here to sever your blooming romantic prospects and shut these spectators up."

Under the sparkling lights, the girl tilted her head back to look at him. With her flawless makeup, her usually aloof features took on a charming, almost innocent allure. The bow at her slender waist was crushed in his large hand, their bodies pressed together in an undeniably suggestive way.

It was an unspoken, tangled intimacy she could never share with anyone else.

"You seem a little worried," she noted.

As the music slowed, she looped her arms around his neck, matching the decelerating rhythm.

"I am." He admitted it freely, his voice dropping an octave. "What should I do?"

Loyce smiled. "I could always become your sugar daddy."

"Heh." Lucian let out a low chuckle. He dipped his head, his straight nose brushing against hers, looking as if he were about to kiss her, only to be forced to stop as the final notes of the melody faded away.