She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 489

That design draft was something Sybil had stumbled upon entirely by accident. She had accompanied her mother to Bloomberry for a financial audit and spotted it in a trash can near the design department.

Sybil didn't know the first thing about auditing accounts, but the massive pile of discarded drafts in the trash piqued her interest. Bored while waiting for the audit to finish, she un-crumpled a random ball of paper and found a breathtakingly gorgeous concept. It was the perfect timing—Langley Jewelers was actively seeking a partnership for the Nexus Design competition, so she quietly pocketed the sketch.

Besides, Bloomberry was technically her mother's property anyway. What was wrong with taking a draft from her own company? What could the designers there possibly say about it?

She tweaked the design slightly and presented it to Alicia, who immediately recognized the genius of the piece. "Did you draw this?"

Sybil bit her lip, her fingers nervously clutching the fabric of her skirt. "Yes. I think this piece is absolutely perfect for the competition. We can use it to partner with Langley Jewelers..."

Alicia stared at her for a long time before setting the draft on the desk. "With that guilty look on your face, anyone can tell you're not the real designer. Did you take this from Bloomberry?"

Sybil gave a stiff nod. "Yes."

Alicia looked down at the sketch, deep in thought. Suddenly, something clicked, and she looked up at her daughter. "Since it belongs to our own people, there's no harm in claiming it as your own. If you play your cards right, this could be your golden ticket into the Langley family. Until now, Sylvie Langley was the only one in the public eye, but I heard their youngest son recently returned from overseas. He's the true heir to the Langley empire. This is the last real opportunity you have. Don't waste it."

Sybil had already lost her shot with the likes of top-tier bachelors like Lucian. Langley Jewelers held immense power domestically as the top jewelry conglomerate. Becoming the lady of that house would be an incredible fallback plan.

But now, Loyce was sticking her nose in and ruining everything again. Suffocating on her own fury, Sybil stormed into Alicia's office. "Mom, Loyce is deliberately trying to run me out of Metropia! Are we really just going to sit here and do nothing?!"

"I shouldn't have been so soft-hearted back then." A venomous glint flashed across Alicia's eyes, and she let out a cold scoff. "But she's far too powerful right now. If we go after her directly, we'll definitely leave a trail. On top of that, the entire Lonsdale family is fiercely protecting her, so my hands are tied. If she wants to go hunt for fabric in Yavon County, let her. No one there is going to help her. She'll hit a brick wall and come crawling back."

Sybil bit her lip, suddenly catching onto a critical phrase. "What do you mean, you shouldn't have been 'soft-hearted back then'?"

"You're a foreign national. What kind of classified military operations do you expect me to hand over to you? Do you really lack that much basic common sense?" Lucian sat at his desk, his tone deadpan. "As for the corporate side, you followed in Baldwin's footsteps. You're not built for business. There's nothing here for you to manage. Just stay home and enjoy your vacation."

Channing forced a highly uncomfortable laugh.

"I still think you should let your younger brother get some real-world experience. You're already dealing with so much, you really need to rest." Joanna happened to walk in right then, carrying a tray of refreshments. She set it down smoothly. "I made you some pastries. And I roasted these premium coffee beans myself this morning. It's a special wellness blend, perfect for you."

Channing couldn't help but interject, "Mom, you treat Lucian so much better than you treat me these days."

Joanna laughed and affectionately tapped his nose. Unlike the stiff, highly calculated demeanor she maintained around Lucian, her interaction with Channing was overflowing with genuine maternal warmth. "What are you talking about? Your brother works so incredibly hard, shouldn't I take better care of him? He's a true hero defending this country. He'll be at the forefront of any future conflicts."

Then, shifting her gaze back to Lucian, she asked with feigned casualness, "I saw on the news a few days ago that tensions are running high over the Emerald Strait. They said the military buildup there is disrupting the trade ports, and our neighboring countries are threatening war. Are you being deployed to the front lines?"