Chapter 817:

Truth be told, Rylie did not care much about the prize. To her, it was just another trinket. She understood that her brother was only here to unwind, so the outcome did not matter much to either of them.

She rose from her seat, grabbing a new cue. “Let’s get started.”

The women quickly split into two groups, setting up at separate tables.

As fate would have it, Rylie ended up playing against Candice.

Candice offered a sweet smile. “Since you’re new to this, I’ll let you take the first two shots before I go.”

Expecting Rylie to refuse out of pride, Candice was caught off guard when Rylie simply replied, “Thanks,” and prepared for her turn.

Candice’s smile faded as irritation crept in — she could not stand how unfazed Rylie seemed.

Though Rylie approached the match with sincerity, she was still inexperienced. Her eagerness to learn notwithstanding, she could not rival someone who had long mastered the game.

Candice stuck to her word and let Rylie take the first two shots.

Rylie managed to sink four balls before handing over the cue.

While Rylie played, Candice quietly mapped out her own plan. The moment it was her turn, she leaned over the table with calculated poise and cleared every remaining ball in one fluid sweep.

Setting her cue aside, Candice basked in the applause from Kristen, who cheered from the sidelines. “That was something else! Miss Owen, looks like you’ll need to raise your game.” Even if it was only a single victory, the taste of success was sweet for Candice. She shot a smug glance at Rylie. “Guess I’ll be taking that bear home tonight. You don’t mind, do you, Rylie?” Unfazed, Rylie tapped the end of her cue and met Candice’s eyes. “Care for another round?”

Though she hadn’t won, Rylie had been quietly studying her mistakes, calculating the right force and angles. By the time the second match began, her progress was impossible to miss.

gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs․𝒸о𝗺 opens doors to wonder

This time, she pocketed five balls in a row, faltering only on a challenging shot with a nearly impossible angle. She looked up at Candice. “Do I still get another go?”

Candice eyed the table and realized that Rylie had already handled the most difficult shot. If she got one more turn, there was a real chance she would sweep the rest. Still, remembering her earlier offer, Candice nodded stiffly. “Fine, take it.”

Rylie lined up, but her next two attempts missed the eighth ball, giving Candice an opening. Relief washed over her, but it was tinged with unease — few beginners could improve so fast in a single evening.

Candice straightened and said firmly, “I’ve given you enough chances. Next round, I won’t show mercy.”

Candice unleashed her full effort, channeling all the frustration she had built up. At the same time, Johnny began to lag behind the other two players because of Marcus.

Johnny’s frustration grew with every missed shot. He wanted nothing more than to see Rylie win that crystal bear, but Marcus’ relaxed attitude and lack of competitive drive were making it an uphill battle.

Unable to hold back, Johnny finally said, “Let’s pause for a second. I need to check on Rylie — her grip doesn’t look right.” The others agreed, setting down their cues as the game came to a halt.

.

.

.