She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 581

Thane Crown had carried a torch for Sybil Seabrook for years. He was entirely devoted to her, and when she planted that soft kiss on his lips, every ounce of his previous frustration vanished into thin air.

After changing his clothes, Dr. Karl returned to the hall but kept a polite distance from Sybil. A few women approached him to chat, and he responded to each with effortless charm, laughing and mingling with ease.

Sybil stood on the balcony just outside the banquet hall, taking it all in. Anxiety chewed at her insides, but she couldn't let it show. She had to swallow her impatience and continue coaxing the lovestruck Thane beside her.

Just then, a waiter caught her eye. He was standing by the kitchen window, facing the balcony, slipping a couple of packets of unidentified powder into a pair of drinks.

What was he doing?

It didn't take long for Sybil to figure it out.

Across the room, Jasmine Hampton appeared in a stunning crimson gown, carrying two glasses. As she approached Lucian Shapiro, the people around him tactfully scattered.

"I was out of line last night," Jasmine said, offering him one of the glasses. "I shouldn't have said those things. It's true that I've been the one pushing for something that wasn't there. Can you forgive me?"

Lucian couldn't be bothered to hold a grudge. "There's nothing to forgive. I'll just pretend last night never happened."

"Then will you at least have a drink with me?" She lowered her gaze, forcing a fragile smile. "Consider it a peace offering. Let's start with a clean slate. Please, Mr. Shapiro?"

Lucian was naturally guarded. Jasmine knew this, and so did Channing Shapiro. So when he inevitably declined the glass, neither of them was surprised.

Right on cue, a waiter strolled out of the kitchen with a tray of drinks, casually asking guests if they needed a refill. Just as he neared Lucian, Channing materialized. Right under his brother's nose, he plucked a glass off the tray and pressed it into Lucian's hand, smoothly intervening. "My brother hasn't been into champagne lately. The red wine here is excellent. Let's stick to that."

Channing clapped a hand on Lucian's shoulder and gave him a conspiratorial wink. "Come on, give the beautiful lady a little face, Lucian."

It all looked perfectly normal. Lucian tapped his glass against Jasmine's and took a sip of the red wine.

As he tilted his head back, Jasmine let out a silent breath of relief, her heart fluttering with anticipation for the drug to kick in.

After murmuring a brief "Excuse me," Lucian walked away. Jasmine remained rooted to the spot, keeping her voice low. "There were so many glasses on that tray. How did you know which one was spiked?"

Channing smirked. "Two of them were spiked, both positioned closest to the waiter's chest. Most people grab from the front. By the time he reached us, the waiter simply rotated the tray, putting the spiked ones right within my reach."

"How long until it takes effect?" she asked.

"Depends on the person. You might want to head to the room and get ready."

Following Channing's instructions, Jasmine went upstairs. Luna had laid out a brand-new outfit on the bed. It was a minimalist, elegant style—definitely not Jasmine's usual taste.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify