Chapter 38
DIANA
I know a hair clip and a coin can only do so much.
But I love how they’re tangible things for Kai and me to hold onto when everything becomes too overwhelming, and the other person isn’t around to bring relief.
As Hans drives me back to the mansion on Belmont, my thumb brushes over the glittery coin. Watching the silver and gold specks shimmer under the streetlights makes me smile like the child I never got to be.
The coin is a piece of Kai that only I get to keep, and it feels like he’s walking into this hellish dinner with me.
It’s a comfort I definitely need tonight.
At the table, no one breaks the silence. There’s only the dainty clink of spoons against ceramic bowls, and soup being quietly sipped and swallowed.
This isn’t a good sign.
Casual, non-urgent news is always announced before the food is brought out. But news announced after a meal means it’s too dire to be discussed while everyone is eating. The chance of disrupting the announcement by dropping a spoon or choking on a piece of food is too high.
Which means whatever bàba is about to tell us tonight demands our full, undivided attention.
I sneak a glance at Jonathan, Gregory, and Sophia. Despite how even and steady their movements are, I catch the subtle, imploring looks they shoot bàba’s way.
They don’t know what he’s going to tell us either.
That means only one thing: if none of us know about the announcement, it has the power to make us all stumble.
We brace ourselves as the soup bowls are cleared away.
Bàba watches us with his dark, piercing eyes. “I brought you all here today because there are personal changes that will impact the CEO vote.”
Fear pinches my heart. It slows yet beats hard under my numbing chest.
“Your grandfather’s health is declining,” Bàba reveals.
“It’s not safe for him to live in Taipei by himself.
He will be staying here, and your mother and I will look after him as filial duty demands.
Because of that, I will not be able to lead the HMG until June like I expected.
I will be moving the CEO vote to the end of April to allow one of you to take it over as soon as possible. ”
My stomach drops.
Six months.
Instead of eight, I now have six months to rebuild everything.
That’s not enough time. If I don’t win the vote, I’d be under the mercy of whoever does.
Considering how my family has treated me, I know they wouldn’t hesitate to kick me out or make me stay and give me hell.
I don’t know how to navigate a life beyond what I’ve planned for myself and the thought that I might have to terrifies me.
The news doesn’t sit right with any of my siblings.
Jonathan shifts in his seat. “Why can’t Uncle Frederik look after āgōng?”
“Your Uncle Frederik is busy with his own affairs,” Bàba snaps.
He doesn’t elaborate further, but I see the panic ebbing beneath the surface of his composure at Uncle Frederik’s name and I don’t understand why.
Gregory tosses down his napkin. “When is āgōng coming?”
“He will be arriving in about two weeks.” Bàba’s gaze sharpens on us all with a pointedness that makes my breath tremble. “Even though I’m moving up the date, I’m merciful enough to give you some time to prove yourself to the board until I resign. Use your days wisely.”
Gregory cocks his head at me. A little, wry smile idles across his lips. “Do you hear that, Diana?”
My hands grip the edges of my seat, and I wish they were tightening around Gregory’s neck instead.
“I’m sitting right here, aren’t I?”
He shrugs, reaching for his glass of water. “Just wanted to make sure. I thought you might have needed a reminder after skipping class, and getting fired from the Howler.”
My eyes shut.
This vile snake.
Māma gasps. “Fired?”
I fight to keep my voice measured and calm. “They let me go because of what happened with Sasha Vellair.”
“Seriously,” Māma scoffs, “Diana, was exposing your brother’s relationship and ruining his image worth all of this? You might as well take yourself out of the running since you now have nothing to show for it.”
The back of my head aches as I tame my tears back. “I’m sorry.”
“But I heard they’re thinking about overturning their decision,” Sophia blurts out.
I look towards her in shock.
She gulps at the attention she suddenly receives, yet she continues, “The board is overturning it because they don’t want the student body to think they support discriminatory practices. Someone on the board told me.”
The Howler’s internal affairs are known facts to every member and secrets to everyone else.
But sometimes, news leaks out to partners and friends.
I’m grateful people think the board is appealing their decision because they don’t want to look discriminatory.
It gives me the privacy to find evidence without prying eyes looking into what I’m doing.
The less people who know the real truth, the better I can hide my motives from my siblings.
“It’s final,” I assert. “There’s no going back.”
I try to stay calm, but the look I give Sophia flashes with warning.
Stay out of it.
Confusion and frustration stir in Sophia’s eyes.
After everything, now she decides to help me?
The air suddenly grows cold. I swallow hard and draw my attention towards the end of the table. Bàba’s expression is as dark as the skies before a storm.
“Diana, didn’t I tell you not to disappoint me a third time?”
My voice is merely a wisp of air, “Yes.”
“And you go and disappoint me again.”
“Bàba, I was doing everything I could to keep the Howler in shape, but they let me go before warning me,” I explain. “I could’ve—”
“Warning.” Bàba chuckles, yet disdain drips from his voice. “You should’ve been prepared. I thought I raised you to be more competent than this!”
The words cut my skin. His disapproval bleeds into every belief I try to uphold about myself and crushes it to nothing until all I can hear is him.
“You should be grateful that I’m giving you the time to reflect and better yourself,” Bàba spits. “Instead, you decide to be an embarrassment and a blight on this family.”
I fight back a choked cry. I bolt out of my seat and rush towards the door with quivering hands. Tears burst from my eyes at the first gust of cold air sweeping through my dress. I struggle to see through the blur as I text Hans to come pick me up.
You’ve been an embarrassment and a blight on this family.
I thought I raised you to be more competent than this.
My hands graze down my side only to realize I forgot to take my coat.
I’ve left it behind with Kai’s coin.