She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 575

"Why not add the girls' scores to the final tally?" Luna continued. "Winning a prize through your own effort is so much more satisfying, isn't it?"

The moment she finished, Sybil—who had been watching with quiet jealousy—was the first to chime in. "I completely agree! I'd love to join the game. That bear is just too cute."

Having seen Loyce's clumsy opening break, Jasmine knew she was a complete amateur. She eagerly backed Luna's idea. "Exactly. I think this makes things much fairer. What do you say, Ms. Lonsdale? Are you going to keep hiding behind Yorick and your brother, or are you going to step up and play against us?"

Being called out, Loyce glanced at the pool table and pressed her lips together.

Morris stepped over and gently patted her head, his smile warm. "As long as you're having fun, that's all that matters. The prize isn't important."

Loyce didn't have any burning desire for the collectible anyway. She only agreed to play because she noticed her brother rarely took time to relax, and she knew the outcome didn't matter to him.

She stood up and grabbed a fresh cue. "Alright, let's play."

The girls split into two tables.

Unsurprisingly, Loyce was matched against Jasmine.

Jasmine smiled sweetly at her. "I know you're a beginner, so I'll give you two free shots before I take my turn."

She framed it to look magnanimous. She fully expected Loyce to decline out of pride, but to her surprise, Loyce just nodded. "Thanks."

Seeing Loyce's unbothered demeanor—acting as if she didn't even consider Jasmine a threat—made Jasmine seethe internally, cursing her for acting so high and mighty.

During the match, Loyce took it seriously. But no matter how fast a learner she was, a beginner couldn't match someone with actual experience.

Jasmine kept her word, letting Loyce take two extra turns. After Loyce sank four balls, control passed to Jasmine.

While Loyce had been playing, Jasmine had been mentally mapping out her shots. Taking her stance, she struck with decisive, fluid movements, effortlessly sinking the remaining balls one after another, clearing the table.

As she put her cue away, Luna clapped loudly from the sidelines. "Amazing! You'd better step it up, Loyce."

Even though it was just a game, the victory gave Jasmine a massive ego boost. She shot a triumphant look at Loyce, only to find the girl completely unfazed. Annoyed, she taunted, "Looks like this bear is going to be my trophy tonight. Though I'm sure you don't lack for toys, Loyce."

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