Page 144 of Until We Burn
Thatwasthe plan. Iwasplaying a role. And it worked. But no relief calms the apprehension twisting my gut.
I force a smile onto my face. “Thank you.”
Agong’s pride rots into a disgusted glare that makes Gregory and Jonathan go rigid in their seats.
“As for you two,” he snarls. “How useless do you have to be to stoop to such lows to get what you want?”
Rage lashes Jonathan’s face. His fingers curl over the armrest. “This is nothing that bàba hasn’t done,” he seethes.
“My opponents were men. I had to do whatever I could to take them down even if it meant getting personal,” Bàba snaps. “You were competing against yoursister.The world was built to uplift you, yet you still failed to outrival a woman’s accomplishments.”
“Well, then maybe you shouldn’t have designated one CEO position if you wanted all of us to have a shot at winning,” Gregory spats.
It only takes two strides before bàba’s hand slaps Gregory’s face. My brother shoots to his feet. Bàba grips his collar until he pales. Panic thrums through bàba as his eyes dart between Gregory and Jonathan. It’s a brief, but evident sign of a man who knows his control is slipping and he’ll do anything to get it back.
“Disrespect me again, Huang Da-Wen, and I’ll have you hobbling onto the streets with nothing,” bàba growls.
“What’s the point?” Gregory hisses, “The board will never consider Jonathan and me for CEO now. You only have your sweet, precious daughters to take over the company for you.”
“Imadeyou,” bàba fires back. “I gave you everything! And now you toss it all aside as if it’s nothing?”
“We shouldn’t be the only ones being punished,” Jonathan protests. His gaze cuts to Sophia, fuming with a rage that has her shrinking back.“Youhad just as much to do with this!Youwere the one who hid the evidence in Diana’s drawer!”
Sophia struggles to get her words out. “I-I?—”
“Don’t you dare play stupid!” Jonathan shouts, “we all know you’re a manipulative little bitch!”
“Quiet,”Agong commands.
The room goes silent. All I can hear is my thundering heartbeat and the ticking mantel clock.
Agong turns to Sophia. “How is it that your brothers got their hands dirty with this and you’re the only one who came out clean?”
Sophia gulps. Her options weigh before her. If she tells the truth, she endures the wrath of bàba and agong.If she lies, she endures the wrath of Jonathan and Gregory.
This is a fight you can’t help me win.
Sophia recomposes herself and audaciously stares back at agong.“The most important question you should be asking is how you can keep Gregory and Jonathan in the running by placing them in second-tier positions in the company.”
Bàba cocks his head. “What are you saying?”
“The board of directors values competence at the end of the day,” Sophia says. “We have precisely two vacancies in the managing editors position. Having Jonathan and Gregory take over can make a statement about their abilities. Even though they were tarnishing Diana’s reputation, they still got a considerable amount of work done for the joint project. Letting Jonathan and Gregory take over as managing editors gives them a chance to prove to the board that they still have what it takes to lead the HMG.”
Bàba scoffs. “And who’s going to give these petty boys a vote of confidence after what they did?”
“Absolutely no one,” Sophia shrugs. “But give the board enough reasons to keep them? Confidence can be restored.”
Agong and bàba consider Sophia’s words. She pretends to look unbothered, yet I can see her picking at her nails beneath the table.
Bàba sighs and casts her a begrudging look. “For once, the words coming out of your mouth are actually worth listening to.”
Sophia falters. She keeps her head down as surprise flickers across the boys’ faces. Their urge to come after her dies fast.
“You’re all dismissed.” Bàba waves his hand at the door. “Take agong back to his room.”
Gregory, Jonathan, and Sophia gather around agong as they escort him out of the study. I quietly follow behind them until the memory of that disturbing comment makes me stop.
“What did you mean when you said you knew I always had it in me?”
