Selina had a sneaking suspicion that Scott was targeting her. šÆš§š®š®šš®šš£ššššµ.š¬šøš
She narrowed her eyes and deliberately declined. "Iām not interested in sheet music. Iāll sit this one out."
Scott didnāt expect her to refuse so bluntly. He smiled smoothly. "How about thisāif you wins, Iāll also give you a villa. Just for fun. You wouldnāt be afraid to play, would you?"
Loganās brow creased. Selina tilted her head with a playful smile. "Youād really give me a villa?"
Scottās tone was easy. "Of course. The SYY Villa District is my new development. It hasnāt even gone on sale yet. If you win, pick whichever one you want."
An SYY villa... Scott was really laying it on thick.
Selina blinked. "Mr. Hanks is so enthusiastic. If I refused, Iād seem ungrateful. FineāIāll play along with everyone."
The whole room went quiet, sucking in a collective breath.
An SYY villa was worth millions. He was seriously offering that as a prize?
Someone tried to talk Scott down. "Scott, thatās insane. Those villas are worth over ten million each. Giving one away is too much."
Scott chuckled. "Sure, theyāre expensiveābut you actually have to win to get it. If Miss Selina doesnāt take first, itās all moot."
Everyone understood immediately.
Selina had never even been to CY Club before. The rest of them were regulars.
And Riley? She was the ownerās daughter. She lived here.
Scott was hiding the music somewhere in the clubāwho had the best shot of finding it? Riley, obviously.
And it was her birthday. Scott wasnāt just throwing a gameāhe was making sure sheād win.
As for Selina? Sheād be lucky not to finish dead last.
Scottās eyes glinted as he watched Selina take the bait. He laid out the final rule.
"First place gets the music. But last place gets a penalty. They have to give Riley the most valuable thing theyāre wearing."
His gaze dropped meaningfully to Selinaās hand.
"Miss Clark... Iād guess that would be your ring, right?" š§š³š¦āÆšš¦š·šÆšš£š¦š.šøš°š
It was the custom wedding ring Logan had made for herāthe only real jewelry she had on, since Luke had insisted she wear it.
Selina arched a brow. So thatās what Scott was after.
Loganās face went ice cold. "Scott."
Riley bit her lip, feigning concern. "Scott, stop. Thatās Selinaās wedding ring. How could she give that to me?"
Scott just shrugged. "She just has to avoid coming last. Itās only a game. Sheās agreed to playācanāt have all reward and no risk."
Riley turned to Selina with wide-eyed innocence. "Selina, Scottās just teasing. We know CY Club like the back of our hands. Youāre here for the first timeāyouāll definitely lose. You really shouldnāt play."
Their so-called friends all chimed in, half-mocking, half-warning:
"Yeah, Selina, do you even know what this place is? CY Club was a gift from Logan to Hunter ten years ago. Itās part of the Nelson Family. Itās Rileyās home turfāyouāll embarrass yourself."
Riley shot Logan a shy little look. "That was so long ago. Loganās probably forgotten all about it."
The others kept piling on.
"Seriously, Selina, think carefully."
"Right, because if you lose, the one wearing your ring will be Riley. Logan and Riley would be the ones with matching bandsāhaha..."
Logan narrowed his eyes slightly. He hadnāt expected the club heād once used to help Hunter through tough times would become the Nelson Familyās excuse for this ridiculous posturing today.
Selina just smiled carelessly. "Sure. Letās make it the wedding ring. Mr. Hanks, when do we start?"
Scottās brow tightenedāhe clearly hadnāt expected her to be this nonchalant. "We can start now. I just hope Miss Clark can handle losing."
Selina nodded, her voice dry with meaning. "And I hope Mr. Hanks and Miss Nelson can handle losing."
They all had blindfolds put on, and were led to different hallways. Whoever found the score fastest would win.
Luke was furious, willing to risk a beating to say his piece. "Logan! Canāt you see Scottās setting Selina up? She canāt win!"
Riley gave them a shy, pleased smile. "Of course."
...
Selina tore off the blindfold and looked around.
She knew this place far too well.
When she was little, Grandpa used to play hide-and-seek with her here. She and her older brothers would squeeze into corners and giggle.
Sheād run down every hall, memorized every turn and shortcut.
One day, Grandpa just stopped bringing her. Heād told her heād given the club "back to its rightful owner."
It was Hunterās now. But before that, it had been Loganās?
So the "original owner" Grandpa mentionedāwho really was that?
Selina exhaled slowly, no hesitation at all. She took a shortcut directly to a small room.
Inside sat the sheet music.
...
Back in the private lounge, Scott was chatting idly when an attendant rushed in, breathless.
"Mr. Hanks! Someone found the sheet music!"
The whole room went quiet in surprise.
Found...? Already? It had barely been five minutes!
Scottās expression froze. Heād hidden it in a locked room with multiple layers of clues and a code lock.
Five minutes? That was impossible.
Someone nearby lit up with delight. "Mr. Hanks, who else could it be? It has to be Riley!"
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