Chapter 301 Did Mr. Brown Insult Someone?
"Wow, you're really something. First thing you do is cast me as the tragic heroine in an angsty romance novel. Why don't you just say I'm the CEO from a girl-boss story who got caught by her man while flirting around?"
"With Mr. Brown's physique and presence, catch you?"
"Look at the people around him—business tycoons, industry elites. Now look at who's around you—a bunch of good-for-nothing losers lined up waiting for you to support them."
Thalia was speechless.
Evelyn grabbed a drink and handed it to her. Thalia took it and sipped casually.
As her gaze wandered, it landed on Jasper. He was bringing Scarlett over to the crowd, heading toward William. After all, this was his event today, and no one would disrespect the host. The group naturally parted to make way for them.
Instantly, his vanity maxed out. Jasper felt like he was on top of the world again, smoothly delivering his polite pleasantries. "Mr. Brown, having you at my daughter's birthday party is truly an honor for us! Scarlett, aren't you going to toast Mr. Brown?"
Hearing this, Scarlett put on a show of raising her glass. William politely lifted his glass, glanced at Scarlett, and took a small sip.
"One's more fake than the other," Evelyn said, looking away. She turned to Thalia, about to say something when someone came over.
"Thalia, want to play pool?"
The entertainment room was connected to the banquet hall.
Thalia followed them over. Walking past a few wealthy young ladies, she heard their sarcastic remarks: "She's really something, always surrounded by a bunch of men wherever she goes. Does the Smith family not teach her anything?"
"What, are you jealous?" Evelyn shot back with a leisurely smile, making them back down.
"Come on, let's go play. What are you standing here for, playing greeter for Scarlett?" After telling them off, she still had to drag them along to play. Talk about annoying.
In the entertainment room, Evelyn pulled her over to the pool table, and someone handed her a cue.
"How do we play?"
"However， Thalia wants to play."
Thalia shrugged indifferently. "I've never broken. You go."
"Then..." the man said, looking around. "Everyone in the room pick a side. I'll play Thalia. Whichever side loses, everyone on that side drinks three glasses."
"Three glasses of what? Be specific. If it's just water, that's boring," Evelyn stirred things up from behind.
"Willow Lake Estate is famous for its wine, so let's drink wine. Full wine glasses, no betting allowed if you step back ten paces outside the circle."
Thalia raised an eyebrow. Sounded good to her.
She glanced at Evelyn, who obediently walked behind her, while everyone else went to stand behind the opponent.
Jack looked at the setup and got worried. "Maybe you guys should reconsider? It can't be just Evelyn on your side, right? If I lose, won't we drink the whole winery dry?"
Evelyn raised her hand to stop Jack. "It's fine."
Thalia picked up the chalk and spun the cue, looking at Jack with an easygoing expression. "You break or me?"
"Ladies first, you go."
"Solids or stripes?"
"I'll take stripes," Jack said generously.
Thalia walked around the table to find a position, leaned down slightly, pressed down with her arm, and with a crack, the balls scattered across the table. Several went in consecutively.
By the rules, Thalia got a second shot.
She found the angle and took her second shot.
Only after she made two runs did Jack get his chance.
Everyone in the room was watching their moves. Everyone in Emerald City knew Jack loved this game. He started playing in underground tournaments in high school, joined the college team, and only stopped when his dad dragged him to the company after graduation.
As for Thalia...
Soon, only the eight ball was left.
Thalia looked at Jack, standing opposite him with her cue. "Last shot. Want to raise the stakes?"
"Thalia, Jack almost made the national team. Don't bite off more than you can chew."
"Exactly, play for fun, why make it embarrassing?"
Jack saw things getting out of hand and spoke up. "Playing is playing, but personal attacks are going too far, aren't they?"
Thalia shrugged indifferently.
Just as she was about to say something, a familiar voice spread out from behind the crowd. "I'm betting on Thalia. Five hundred thousand dollars."
Instantly, you could hear a pin drop in the banquet hall.
The crowd parted, and William stood there holding his glass, looking at her with leisure.
The corner of Thalia's lips curved up slightly. "William, with your net worth, isn't five hundred thousand a bit insulting?"
William let out a soft laugh. His refined and gentle demeanor combined with that laugh made even the lights in the room seem dim, leaving the women present completely entranced. "Is it? I'm afraid if I bet more, these kids won't be able to match it."
Evelyn saw her chance and chimed in. "Who are you insulting? I'm in. Five hundred thousand on Thalia."
Someone nearby joined in. "Then I'm betting on Jack. Five hundred thousand. Last ball decides it."
As the betting voices died down, Thalia stood in the crowd, her slender fingers touching the cue, looking at William with lowered eyes and a slight smile—the kind of smile that looked like lovers of many years loving each other across a crowd.
Flirtatious yet restrained.
Thalia's allure paired with William's public restraint created an extreme tension, giving off the feeling that they were openly in love amid the bustling crowd.
Evelyn's cough brought Thalia back to reality.
"Whose turn?" Thalia asked.
"Yours," Jack responded.
Thalia nodded, looking down at the pool table, a mental image already forming in her mind. "Need me to explain in detail how I'm going to make this shot?"
Jack nodded, looking at Thalia with appreciation. "I'm all ears."
"Chalk." Thalia took the chalk and started writing physics formulas on the pool table—friction, distance, velocity—she drew it all out and even calculated the answer.
"With such a tricky position, how could she possibly make it in one shot?"
"What's she showing off for? Everyone knows her dad paid to get her into college."
"Exactly, and she's lecturing him? Jack's a top student!"
"What's all this about?"
Thalia ignored the gossip, tossed the chalk aside, leaned down with her cue, and said softly, "From this position, given the distance between the eight ball and the pocket, using 3.2 percent force is the perfect amount to sink it."
The moment the ball went in the pocket, the room fell dead silent.
Only William, as if he'd known all along, swirled his glass and brought the red wine to his lips, as if celebrating.
This was the real Thalia—dazzling and brilliant.