𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 ✓ (𝟷𝟾+)

The Uncalibrated Game

Arin

The turnaround events from Roger's case weren't good. We all dived in headstrong but emerged as if we were the ones who did the crime. But the worst of the lot was the media scrutiny we underwent. Though Roger's attempt to get Brandon's past and the truth about his mother to the tabloids was successful, even we bore the brunt of a double edge sword. Unprotected, the press feasted on our private lives too like scavengers on a carcass.

Everything that we tried during the past few months all went in vain. Luck had given up its blessings on us and whatever strategy we had at getting Brandon to admit he was a bad father and an ex-CEO, backfire. Like a boomerang, whatever we threw returned to us, faster than we expected and with a more lethal force.

At this session of the court, Roger didn't look up at all. The defeat in his form and figure was highly obvious. His shoulders dropped from their usual stance and his sunken eyes were the reflection of sleepless nights where he ended up tossing and turning on the bed. Before Roger could move to his place with the lawyers, my hand coiled around his, pulling him away from them.

"You want to say something babydoll?" he asked, eyes glistening with hope.

"I...l don't..." words were to be pulled out for their reluctance to emerge like a shy kid at a party. Unable to meet his gaze, my vision lingered on the worn-down marble flooring. "What I want to say is that don't get your hopes high. It's..."

Roger tipping my chin up. "Don't worry. I know when I am about to lose. But I have you and that's all I ever wanted."

He trotted away, leaving me in the aftermath of his fake console. I knew deep down, Roger loved the company and even the thought of leaving it for Brandon to take over was killing him. Only now, was he preparing to do so in reality.

Falling back in my seat, I looked around for Dad and Malcom who were missing from the arena. With the judge walking in, the audience rose from their position. Moments later, the bloodbath of verbal arguments and pieces of evidence to malign character began, yet again.

It wasn't the first time this was happening and it wouldn't be the last. Over the past few months, this was the usual character assassination, we all witnessed. Only a deviation from the same route would catch us by surprise. Those moments were only a few.

Xavier walked in, from a corner of the room and dropped beside me. He looked tired, just like me who pulled an all-nighter to ensure no stones were unturned in our last attempt. My elbow nudged him. "Where were you?"

He shrugged and his hand gestured a cigarette to his lip but I knew him long enough to know when he was lying. True to his form, upon my head tilt for the truth, he winked like it wasn't a big deal to miss the merged company's decision day.

"You are such a bad liar," I said to him, ignoring his face.

He chuckled softly into his hand and leaned forward, sighing. "Any progress from the usual?"

My side nod answered. Spoken words in the court were less with the verbal arguments ahead of us, loud enough to distract anyone who spoke.

"I don't know what we'll do now, Xav. Brandon's lawyer is reeling Roger like he's the culprit."

With his hand clutched over mine, Xavier looked forward. "Things have a way of working out, darling."

My eyes rolled on the insides. "How? Please explain."

After a brief pause, Xavier fished his phone and tapped over his keypads, swishing a text. The whole process was so fast that I wasn't sure who the addressee was. The gavel banged, pulling us out from our discussion to look over at Brandon's lawyer who scanned some documents in his hands. He stood stuttering in his words, before tossing a look at Roger and his crew.