Chapter 9
DIANA
The rules of the game are simple.
You take turns placing one stone on the board to capture your opponent’s stones and seize the territory they’ve built. The game ends when one of you conquers the entire board.
“You look nervous,” Kai muses. He nudges a stone beneath mine.
Panic splinters my control when I see him breaching my carefully crafted territory.
It doesn’t help when Kai glances back up at me, arching a brow with a faint smirk.
“Is this a strategy of yours, or were you bluffing about kicking my ass at this game?”
The words catch in my throat.
Kai is already ridiculously handsome in sweats and a hoodie.
But seeing him in a suit unhinges all of my good sense.
I shouldn’t want to feel the expanse of his shoulders beneath his blazer.
I shouldn’t want to trail my finger down the sliver of skin behind his unbuttoned collar.
I shouldn’t want him during one of the most important, pivotal moments of my life.
The white stone digs into my hand.
The game board is not the only thing Kai is taking over, and I hate it so much.
I slam my stone down.
“Pardon me if I’m a little frazzled.” I clear my throat, avoiding Kai’s gaze with all my might. “I wasn’t planning on playing a round of Go at the partnership dinner.”
“I wasn’t either, but I’m still kicking your ass,” he quips back.
My nostrils flare. “Stay out of my head and just play the game.”
“Isn’t that how you win most games, though? You get into your opponent’s head?”
This time, I can’t help looking up at him. My guard rises at Kai’s inquisitive, prodding stare.
“Why do I feel like you’re trying to get into my head for reasons beyond this game?”
Kai falters. His smirk fades. He swallows hard and looks down at his hands that restlessly rub together.
“I keep thinking about what happened on Monday—”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
The words dart out like a whip. I regret saying them the second the hurt and confusion lashes across Kai’s face.
“Are you sure there’s nothing to talk about?” he asks.
I fidget against the invisible vise twining my body, forcing me to confront the girl I shouldn’t have been on that Monday morning.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I insist.
“We’re going to be in the same class for the next four months. I don’t want there to be problems between us. So, if there’s something I said or did that made you uncomfortable, I want you to know that it’s okay to talk it out with me.”
“I just had another class to get to. That’s all. I have more important matters to attend to than mull over what happened with you four days ago.”
Kai flinches. He looks back at the board and nods simply, his jaw tensing at the effort. “Alright, then.”
I shake my head. “No, Kai. That…that wasn’t—”
“Ahem.”
I snap upright.
Sophia stands outside the gazebo with her arms crossed. I shoot to my feet, knocking into the chair leg.
“S-Sophia! What’s the matter?”
She looks at Kai, her gaze curious and scrutinizing. The creeping panic I felt before overwhelms me now, as I try to think of something—anything—to take her attention off him.
But before I can cut in, Sophia flits her icy gaze back to me.
“Come back inside. The speeches are starting.”
“I would like to begin by welcoming our partners to our home. It’s been a splendid evening getting to know you all, and I hope we’ll have many of these gatherings in the future.”
That overly gracious smile winds across Gregory’s face, hiding the manipulative intentions lurking beneath.
I irritably take a sip of water. Through the glass, I can see Kai sitting diagonally across from me. He’s calm and quiet, yet the slight tremor in his hands says otherwise. I want to go over there and apologize, but a thought pulls me back.
No. You need to focus on the speech. Keeping your place in the succession plan comes down to impressing the HMG’s business partners. Not reconciling with Kai.
Kai is not the priority.
Winning is.
The speeches go by in a blur. Before I know it, applause erupts, and I’m numbly mimicking everyone else while sinking under the weight of my own panic.
When the podium is cleared, I walk towards it with my nerves bundled tight.
The podium wings dig into my hands. I stare out at the dinner party, where my siblings watch me closely. But the calculating competitiveness in their stare is nothing compared to the hunger in bàba’s eyes, which reminds me to make him proud if it’s the last thing I do.
I straighten up and fake a smile at the audience.
“I’m aware the plan this evening is to highlight my ambitions for furthering the partnership between the HMG, the Pacific Observer, and the Decibel 6.
But what good are potential plans? So much can change in a year, which is why I want to march forward with you now and produce a timely and pertinent story with global impact. ”
Interest flickers across our partners’ faces. Whispers stir amongst the crowd as I discuss the news release from the DHU microbiology department.
“Rather than speculating if we will be a good fit later on, you can make your decision now by collaborating on a joint project with me to shed light on this significant issue that highlights the accomplishments of women in science.”
Our partners clap for me. I sag in relief when I see bàba’s glowing smile and his loud, eager applause.
Just before dinner is served, Patrick Hertzberg, the senior editor of Decibel 6, approaches me.
“I absolutely love your idea, Diana! Do you have time next Thursday to meet about this?”
Gregory darts to his feet. Despite the restrained anger in his voice, he chuckles. “You must’ve forgotten, Patrick. We planned to go golfing that day to discuss my digital campaign in detail.”
“We can reschedule it.” Patrick smiles. “Diana’s idea is more timely. I’m sure you understand.”
Gregory fumes in his seat as I arrange a meeting with Patrick. The second Patrick walks away, I smile back at him.
“You learnt from the best, you say? Well, so did I.” I snatch up his glass of champagne. “Insult me or Sophia again, and Patrick Hertzberg won’t be the only thing I take from you.”
Gregory glares at me.
As satisfying as it is to watch him fume and go red, there’s a target on my back now. Whatever hell he and the rest of my siblings dragged me through before the speeches won’t stop here.