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Dice and Slice
Dice and Slice
Autor: Between Mist

Chapter 1

Autor: Between Mist
The table was briefly silent as I took my seat, and Brandon Foster reached for my waist, sighing, "That's enough, Angie. Give it a rest. It's just a drunken joke—go to bed."

I quietly withdrew from this touch, staring pointedly at Wanda Stiles. "Don't get touchy-feely. Your wife is right over there."

Brandon scowled, his tone impatient as he growled, "I've told you so many times—Wanda is just a friend. Why would I bother dating you if we were hooking up?"

I didn't reply because I had heard that response before too many times.

Because of Wanda, he forgot about our date.

Because of Wanda, he left me by the curb.

Because Wanda got drunk that one time, he rushed out of home in the night to pick her up.

And now, he even registered his marriage with Wanda, and in the end, he still claimed they were just friends.

Even as an awkward silence ensued, Wanda came over and sat on Brandon's lap.

"Alright, just cut it out," she said and turned to me with a smile. "There's really nothing going on between us, Angela. It's just a drunken thing, and we'll be divorcing tomorrow. If you really mind that much, I'll apologize."

Then, picking up a bottle of wine off the table, she started chugging.

Brandon's face dropped and she snatched it away, snapping loudly, "What are you doing?! Stop drinking already!"

Then, turning toward me, he glowered. "You're really pushing it, Angela Stark."

I couldn't help smiling self-deprecatingly. "It's fine—I have a sense of humor. I have plenty of free time on my hands too, and you were always saying that I'm unsociable, weren't you?"

Everyone around the table was stunned but quickly jumped in to pacify the situation.

"Sounds great, Angela!" Brandon's longtime buddy, Martin Carson, exclaimed. "We were just planning to call you up. It's Brandon who keeps stopping us."

Then, shooting Brandon a look, he added, "Come on, buddy. You gotta deal with Angela."

Brandon, however, chuckled coolly as he reclined against his seat, pulling Wanda back to him and making her sit on his lap.

His hands on Wanda's waist, he chuckled, "Don't look at me. My wife's right here."

Seeing that I was simply smiling and not freaking out, everyone around the table booed him.

"Yeah, yeah. Congratulations on your wedding. So what are we playing?"

Wanda was charmingly charismatic as she reveled in the excitement, grinning as she said, "The same game of dice. But since we have an obedient girl with us who probably doesn't even know what she's doing, let's be accommodating and play highs or lows.

"Aside from drinking shots, you must provide gifts to celebrate Brandon and I being newlyweds."

The others were complaining right then.

"No way! Everyone knows you and Brandon are the best at dice. We won't survive this when you're both playing as partners."

Through it all, Brandon's hand was on Wanda's waist, and he never looked at me.

Hearing the protest, he chuckled, "Then it's a forfeit."

Martin was flustered as soon as he heard and took off the watch on his wrist. "I just got this last week…"

As the music grew louder, excitement cackled in the room as everyone took off their watches or jewelry.

Brandon himself quietly took off his cufflinks, which I had bought him as an anniversary present.

When another woman, Yvie, put down a bracelet, Wanda excitedly tugged on Brandon's arm, pouting. "I want that bracelet, darling! Win it for me, pretty please!"

I said nothing as I took off my pure diamond earrings and put them on the table. "Congratulations on your wedding. I'm game."

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  • Dice and Slice   Chapter 20

    Three months later, in spring, the conference where Stark Corp's Cultural and Tourism Division was unveiled was held at Starhill Hotel.Just three months ago, it was the chosen venue for the political marriage between the Starks and the Fosters.Now, the same hall was filled to the brim with journalists, investors, and partners.As I stood backstage, Lara smoothed the wrinkles on my lapel while Carl arrived, handing me the schedule. "The ceremony is forty minutes long, the signing ceremony is twenty, and then there's a press Q&A after that."I scanned through the schedule and nodded, while he smiled faintly as he glanced at my wrist. "You got that fixed? It looks no different than before."I looked at the bracelet too—the clasp was switched to a new one, while the scratches on the chain were grinded away and nowhere to be seen.Underneath it was still the distinct inscription: Dedicated to my little Angie's happiness."Let's go," I then said.-I didn't exaggerate too much at

  • Dice and Slice   Chapter 19

    The skies were pouring in Seafort in the evening after the signing ceremony.After holding a cocktail party with my new partners to celebrate, I was going to my room when Lara rushed to my side, whispering, "Ms. Stark… Mr. Foster has been standing outside the hotel lobby without an umbrella."I paused. "For how long?""The front desk said… At least an hour."I was quiet for two beats and headed down to the lobby where I saw him through the rain.He really was standing outside the porch under the pouring rain, his black puffer jacket soaked through and his hair a mess.He wasn't moving and certainly not trying to find shelter, as he simply stood there, waiting.I watched as the rain pelted him, suddenly reminded of myself being soaked through just like that three years ago.And now, he was doing the same thing, seemingly under the impression I would go soft on him because of that.However, I simply turned away and walked toward the front desk. "Get a car. Send that man to the n

  • Dice and Slice   Chapter 18

    Seafort was colder than I expected, and all the trees I saw on my way to the hotel had shed every leaf.Still, the place wasn't all that different than when I came three years ago.Brandon had dragged me along to at least three meetings when he was bidding for the Seafort project as well.I was there for him, compiling reports, working past midnight and preparing responses for every detail investors would press on.But on the day of our tender presentation, Brandon left without a word, all because Wanda got into a bar fight and called him for help.Everyone else was in the conference room, sitting there and trading looks.Naturally, the entire project went south, but he dismissed it nonchalantly, saying, "Seafort is too far, and not getting it doesn't hurt."But I remembered that meeting vividly, as one of the project committee members gave me a wry smile and said, "Perhaps things would be different if you were the chair for this tender, Ms. Stark."I held on to those words for

  • Dice and Slice   Chapter 17

    Wanda never answered, her lips trembling as she stared at the repair bill, unable to say the word.I didn't look at him twice and strode past her indoors.I could hear her muffled screams behind me, "Angela Stark! You've really gone too far!!!"I never turned, but I did think that it was really ironic that someone like her would tell someone else that they had gone too far.The final audit report was published a week later.Wanda was hence charged with contract fraud, misappropriation of project funds, and forgery among others, with damages amounting up to twenty million dollars.And because she had the Fosters' written endorsement, they were also implicated, with the related department sending a letter requesting their cooperation by providing the original copy of every authorization document.John had a stroke and had to be rushed to the hospital, while Lionel aged ten years overnight.Brandon himself was summoned to Foster Inc.'s headquarters, where the board demanded that h

  • Dice and Slice   Chapter 16

    In a way, my old bracelet had actually returned to me on its own.Wanda had to cash out on everything, selling all that she had to used goods dealers—watches, paintings, wine, and even the bag she had won from me.That bracelet was in turn sent to a jeweler at the West End.She was under the impression that it was valuable, since all the stuff I had with me was expensive.Naturally, she was wrong—it really was a cheap platinum bracelet with extensive wear and tear and a loose clasp, making it worthless from any collector's perspective.Still, as the jeweler unclasped the bracelet, he noticed the tiny inscription under it that read: Dedicated to my little Angie's happiness.The jeweler was a veteran and quickly combed through my family's information, confirming the origins of the bracelet and promptly contacting Stark Corp.It was placed in a display case when I rushed over, the wine stains still sticking on the surface of it, having flowed through the tiny seams between.Wanda

  • Dice and Slice   Chapter 15

    Brandon came running and cut me off at the elevator.He kept his voice low despite his bloodshot eyes, but there was no mistaking the quiver in it. "How… How could you hook up so soon?"I paused and turned to look at him, while Carl headed into the elevator, leaving just me, Lara, and Brandon down the hallway.Brandon was clenching his jaw, his fists clenched at his sides. "I understand I've made mistakes, and I'm changing that. But you won't even give me a chance and have moved on to someone else—""Brandon," I said evenly, cutting him short as I held his gaze. "That night, when you let Wanda sit on your lap and told everyone that she's your wife… Did you ever consider that it would hurt my feelings when I was sitting right there?"Brandon froze, feeling as if he was being strangled.He naturally remembered, but it was supposed to be a drunken joke spurred by the mood around the table—harmless fun.He even thought that I should be mature about it and not fuss over something so

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