Fool's Mate

The following chapter is written in 3rd Person POV following Becca…

“I apologize on behalf of my mother, Tricia. She shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.” Becca tells Tricia, who stayed outside the door of the private dining area of the restaurant to wait for Becca.

“Are you doing okay?” Becca then checks up on her.

“Don’t worry about me, Becca. I’m more than alright with work.” Tricia answers with a reassuring smile. “It’s nice to get my hands dirty again. Helping you and Chef Nguyen and the staff prepare for tonight has been great for me. I haven’t felt this productive since I started staying here in the city.” Tricia adds, making Becca smile.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Becca responds, though Tricia’s answer wasn’t actually responsive to what Becca was really asking. “My brother didn’t try anything with you, did he?” Becca asks more directly, and Tricia shakes her head in response, looking surprised that Becca asked. Becca can only release a sigh of relief from hearing it.

“I’ll let you return to being productive then.” Becca instructs Tricia with a smile, which immediately turns into a scowl as soon as Tricia walks away. Becca takes another deep breath before opening the door to the private dining area.

As soon as she opens the door, the sight that greets her immediately makes her lose the cool she tried to collect with her deep breath. Her brother’s lounging on a dining room chair, his hands behind his head and his feet up on the dining table. What annoys her further, it’s only when Becca enters the room that their mother tells Nathan to put his feet down from the table as it is ‘unseemly’ for someone of his ‘status’. Becca knew that was intentional on both their parts. Her mother wanted her to see Nathan disrespect her place of business like that before correcting him.

“Sp—” Becca tries to take control of the situation and ask her mother and brother to ‘speak’ and tell her why they’re here, but Victoria cuts her off before she could even finish the word and commands her daughter to “Sit.”

“I’d rather—” Becca tries to say she’d rather remain standing, but Nathan’s the one that cuts her off this time with “Just sit down.”

“You’re gonna wish you were sitting down after we tell you what we’re here for anyway.” Nathan adds cryptically, getting Becca to raise her eyebrow in curiosity.

Though Becca dislikes the way her family is showing her disrespect, she decides to set her ego aside for the moment. They must be terribly concerned about something if they’ve taken the time away from their separate hedonistic summer activities to make this unannounced appearance.

Becca takes a seat opposite her brother, with their mother taking the seat at the head of the table.

“What do I owe the pleasure of this family reunion?” Becca asks them.

“Darling, what do you mean? It’s obviously about you.” Victoria replies.

“How so?” Becca asks to clarify.

“What do you mean ‘how so’!? Why did you resign from the company, huh?” Nathan asks, unamused by what he perceives as Becca playing innocent.

“It’s none of your business, little brother.” Becca answers in irritation.

“Now, now, Rebecca. You asked us why we came, and Nathan was only answering the question. Your resignation from the company and your father’s subsequent insistence at allowing your independence would never go unnoticed by us, darling. You should have known that.” Victoria comments.

“If that is the case, then a phone call would have sufficed.” Becca points out.

“Rebecca, darling, what kind of mother would I be if I addressed your downward spiral through a phone call?” Victoria asks, needling in another pin prick in the middle of her show of concern.

“My apologies. I forgot a phone call is reserved for the usual admonishments for misbehavior sourced through the socialite grapevine. ‘Downward spirals’ that make it to news channels deserve a personal appearance.” Becca remarks sarcastically, seemingly to her mother’s amusement.

“Precisely, darling.” Victoria replies with a smirk. “Now, pretend this was the phone call you wished it was, and explain to us what happened that caused this rift between you and your father.” Victoria tells Becca, who concedes this will go much quicker if she just plays along.

“It’s no secret to any of us that Father has wanted to groom Nathan to inherit the company when he retires.” Becca prefaces, getting a smug smirk out of Nathan.

“It’s also not a secret that I am the better heir.” Becca adds, matching Nathan’s smugness, trading expressions with Nathan as he is the one now that looks irritated.

“I’ve worked for years trying to convince him of that fact, but he made it clear with my initial termination that I was never going to be more than just a mere indulgence. That was all I was to him and to the company. I concede that now.” Becca continues, and the smugness returns in Nathan’s smirk, but Becca lets it slide this time.

“However, I will never concede that that is who I am.” Becca says confidently. “I have decided to no longer prove myself for anyone’s benefit but my own. I resigned from the company because I swore my own independent endeavors will soon tower over Father’s… or my name’s not Rebecca goddamn Hoffman.” Becca says with pride, recalling what Jay told her that night at the presidential suite.

*clap* *clap* *clap*

“Well woop-de-fucking-doo.” Nathan remarks sarcastically after his slow clap, to Becca’s annoyance. “Congratulations on finally finding some self respect, sis.” Nathan sarcastically remarks.

“Why did your father terminate you in the first place?” Victoria asks Becca, completely unfazed by Becca’s determined answer. Worse, she still hasn’t bothered to address Nathan’s insolence.

“What do you think?” Becca asks her mother back.

“Indulge me.” Victoria replies.

…

Becca takes pause. She doesn’t intend to hide her father’s infidelity from her family indefinitely. They have the right to know about his deception. However, she also knows that doing so without any preparation would only lead to Cassie being placed in the middle of a family conflict. In so doing, placing everyone around their orbit in the same situation. She can’t do that to Jay and the other girls. Not again. Not after what already happened with her father.

Becca has yet to properly prepare for this conversation. In a previous life, she might have already, but she’s had other things… other people on her mind as of late. Though she agrees her mother and brother deserve the truth, the truth will have to wait if it will cost her and the people she holds dear any more of their peace of mind.

“He was… displeased with me.” Becca answers vaguely.

“Details, Rebecca.” Victoria tells her with implied authority.

“I made a choice that contradicted his wishes. What those were are between myself and Father.” Becca says with finality, making it clear she won’t reveal any more than that, and Nathan scoffs at Becca’s answer.

“You have something to say, little brother?” Becca asks him.

“You? Go against dad’s wishes? You think that dramatic speech of yours would convince us otherwise?” Nathan replies in disbelief.

“I’m calling ~bullshit~.” Nathan adds, his choice of profanity and delivery intentional. Openly cursing in front of their mother, and even pronouncing it in a flowery manner, only emphasizes to Becca just how much more leeway he gets from her.

“I’m telling you, mother. The two of them are working together.” Nathan tells Victoria, which raises Becca’s alarm bells.

‘What would make them come to that conclusion?’ Becca asks herself.

Becca may have little regard as to her brother’s tactfulness, but she knows he’s not that careless. He wouldn’t have mentioned that accusation openly if he wasn’t already expecting a certain response… or if he wasn’t fishing for more information.

“Think what you wish.” Becca replies dismissively. “The company, and how our father runs it, is no longer of any concern to me.” Becca adds calmly, not falling for her brother’s terrible attempt at a trap.

Victoria stares at Becca intently. Her hands clasped together in thought, while watching Becca for any sign that she was being less than truthful with her responses so far. Nathan, on the other hand, is openly wearing his displeasure towards Becca’s dismissiveness on his sleeve.

“This’ll go a lot quicker if you just admit—” Nathan tries to tell Becca, before being cut off by his mother’s sudden action.

To both Becca and Nathan’s surprise, Victoria stands up.

“If what you said was the truth, then there’s nothing more to discuss.” Victoria announces, leaving Becca and Nathan stunned, as she makes her way towards the door.

“Come, Nathan. Let’s leave our darling Rebecca to her little attempt at independence.” Victoria instructs Nathan, after noticing he wasn’t following her, but also throwing another pin prick towards Becca mid-sentence as if she’s unable to prevent herself from doing so.

“Well, if that was all you came here for. Thank you both for this complete waste of my time.” Becca finally fires back a jab of her own, as she stands up and makes her way towards the door as well, calling her mother’s bluff. Becca knows her mother’s action is an idle threat. Becca still believes that they wouldn’t have come all this way just to leave without accomplishing anything.

Becca can see Nathan is seething in his seat, unable to hide his displeasure at this turn of events. Combined with his earlier fishing expedition as any indication, he wants a specific reaction out of Becca. Though his attempts at goading Becca into admitting what he thinks she’s hiding was piss poor at best, it does give Becca the idea to return the favor.

“You have something to say, you little shit?” Becca goads Nathan, no longer pulling her punches in front of her mother.

“Language, Rebecca.” Victoria comments, confirming Becca’s earlier thought that their mother only chooses to correct her about it and not Nathan. Despite already expecting as much, Becca is still a bit irked by it and is even more motivated to turn the tables on them.

Victoria leers at Becca for an apology, but Becca’s demeanor is adamant. She refuses to play her mother’s game any further.

Becca’s playing her own game now.

Becca turns around towards Nathan who’s still sitting at the table, and grips the seat at the head of the table before addressing her little brother.

“So that vague remark about me wanting to sit down after hearing your reason for coming was, to borrow your phrasing, ~bullshit~?” Becca goads her brother some more by using the same sing-songy way he pronounced the word, while also openly showing her mother that she’s no longer going to be subservient to her.

White moves pawn to E4

“It wasn’t bullshit!” Nathan shouts back at Becca.

Black moves pawn to G5

“~Buuuuuullshiiiii~” Becca calls him out even more, and it seems to be the last straw to Nathan.

White moves pawn D4

“We know you’re working with Father and his bastard! Don’t fucking deny it!” Nathan shouts, finally standing from his seat as he does, unable to hold back his emotions.

Black moves pawn to F6

“NATHAN!” Victoria shouts in anger, marching towards the table as if she wants to get close to Nathan to smack him. It’s obvious that Nathan wasn’t supposed to reveal that information unless Victoria said so, or unless they acquired the necessary information from Becca.

It seems both Becca and Victoria underestimated just how careless Nathan can be.

Becca smirks with obvious smugness knowing she won her little game against her brother quite easily.

White moves Queen to H5

That admission means they can no longer pretend they came here with different motives.

They came here because of Cassie.

‘Checkmate’