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Chapter 2

Autor: Between Mist
The air around the table seemed to turn colder, while Brandon seemed to tighten his arm around Wanda's waist.

His brows were creased as he glared at me hostilely and threateningly.

Wanda was herself surprised, but she soon giggled and nudged Brandon. "Alright! Since Angie wants to play, we should be gracious hosts."

Martin too promptly tried to pacify the situation. "Yes, that's right! Let's play together—it's more lively that way! Anyway, the rule is simple: highs or lows, and the player with the smallest roll starts drinking, as well as picks one gift from the pool for the player with the highest roll.

"Obviously, one can stick to drinking without giving away anything…"

He trailed off, pointing at the pile of watches and jewelry on the table as he finished, "But that would be boring."

I nodded in understanding, and everyone was handed dice.

Wanda was deftly shaking her cup, while Brandon barely shook his twice before slamming the cup on the table, his eyes still fixed on me.

I had my face turned away, avoiding his scorching gaze, clumsily picking up my cup and clearly not used to it.

Even through the music, I could hear the voices around me.

"What's an obedient girl like her doing here? Doesn't she get sick of being a buzzkill?"

"Trying to mark her territory, I bet. But Brandon just isn't having it."

As I paled a little, Wanda giggled, "Oh, Angela—should I teach you how to roll properly first?"

I ignored her and shook my dice cup carelessly, then gently dropped it.

"Showdown!"

Everyone lifted their cups.

Wanda rolled an eleven, while Brandon rolled a ten.

The others were in between, but when I lifted my cup, it revealed a one and a two: only three points.

Everyone burst out laughing right then.

"Haha! Three points?! That sure is the lowest!"

"Oh, Angela. What luck…"

Martin was holding back a smile as he slid me a glass of wine.

"A bet's a bet. Drink up, and…"

He trailed off, staring pointedly at my earrings.

Brandon finally spoke then, his voice cold and harsh, "If you don't know how to play, don't. Just drink."

Wanda leaned against his chest, beaming, "Oh, that's terrible luck! Guess Angela will be getting us our wedding presents. Do you mind? Those earrings sure look nice."

I looked between the glass of wine and the earrings. They were pink diamond earrings that Brandon had spent a fortune to buy from an auction.

At that time, he vowed to give me all that was good in the world…

Smiling self-deprecatingly, I slid the earrings to the center of the table toward Wanda.

"A bet's a bet," I said evenly, looking up. "Here's your present."

While Brandon scowled, Wanda happily picked up the earrings, admiring them against the light. "Thanks, Angie! Oh, they are beautiful…"

Martin then quickly whooped, "Alright! Round two!"

With that, the game continued.

Wanda rolled a nine—not the best, but Brandon rolled a hard six right after her.

"Woah! You're the best, darling!" Wanda whooped.

Everyone was cheering too, while Martin smiled and explained to me, "Table rules: hard six is the highest score, and he can pick anything."

Brandon wasn't looking at me as he held Wanda, grinning sweetly, "Then my one-night wife can choose. What do you want?"

Wanda was scanning my side of the table, ultimately stopping at my dull bracelet. "That bracelet Angela has… It looks quite unique. Can I?"

I paused ever so slightly.

It was my grandmother's keepsake and not all that valuable—even the clasp was loose as it was just that old.

However, she had put it on my wrist before she died, and I never took it off wherever I went, no matter how far from home I was.

When Brandon first saw it, he had solemnly told me that he would never joke around with it.

He knew better than anyone that it wasn't an average bet.

There was a moment of silence, until Wanda hollered, "What? We agreed that we will bet everything. Or maybe Angie is a sore loser? Or maybe…"

I was going to speak, but Brandon coolly cut me short. "Table rules. A bet's a bet—hand it over, Angela."

I turned sharply toward him.

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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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