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Novel Catalog
Chapter 246
Jeremiah walked into the living room, with Yusef following behind him, carrying two cups of coffee.
The room was quiet, except for the faint sound of chess pieces being moved. Yvette and Jase sat across from each other, each engrossed in the game. The chessboard between them showed a near-empty battlefield of black and white pieces.
Jeremiah and the others entered, but neither Jase nor Yvette looked up. It was clear they were in the middle of something, and neither felt like breaking their concentration.
Yusef placed the two cups of coffee on the table and stepped back, not wanting to interrupt.
Emmett looked at the scene before him, unsure of how to act. It was strange—his mentor and Yvette, both so calm, sitting there like they were alone in their own world.
Jeremiah walked over and sat next to Yvette, his silence speaking volumes. Jase gave him a sidelong glance, clearly disapproving.
Typical of someone who forgets his grandfather when he gets a girlfriend, Jase thought, but kept the observation to himself.
The game wasn’t going in Yvette’s favor. The black pieces were on the losing end.
Jase stroked his beard, maintaining his composure but with a glimmer of smugness in his eyes. He couldn’t resist saying, “Hey, Yvette, look at this board. Do we even need to continue?”
Yusef, standing beside Jase, glanced at the board with a raised eyebrow, while Emmett lingered near Jeremiah and Yvette, both of them focused on the game. The situation was clear: Jase’s white pieces had completely taken control, and there was no chance for a comeback.
Jeremiah, seemingly unaffected, speared a piece of sliced apple with his fork and held it up to Yvette. Without missing a beat, she opened her mouth and ate it.
Emmett, having witnessed this routine countless times, didn’t bat an eye. But for Jase and Yusef, it was a different story. They were caught off guard, staring at the display of affection. It wasn’t the kind of thing they’d expected to see from a couple like them.
Jase felt a wave of conflicted emotions. His grandson, showing such tenderness? He couldn’t fathom it. He thought, He feeds her apples? Is he not afraid of the sourness?
Jeremiah, with the softest of smiles, tucked a stray lock of hair behind Yvette’s ear. His voice was gentle, almost too soft. “Let Grandpa win?”
Yvette tilted her face toward him, her lips curling into a teasing smile. Her eyes, clear and direct, met his. “Nope. Just killing time out of boredom.”
Jase wasn’t having it. “Yvette, you can’t back out. A bet’s a bet.”
Yvette turned her head toward him, her voice calm yet firm. “Continue.”
Jase had expected her to give up after a few more moves, but it was clear she was playing a longer game. He didn’t mind, though. He was confident he’d still win.
And so, they continued.
Half an hour later, however, the atmosphere had shifted. Everyone except Yvette and Jeremiah was in shock. What had seemed like a definite win for Jase had turned into an unexpected turn of events. Yvette had slowly, methodically, turned the game around.
The black pieces had staged an incredible comeback, and by the end of the match, the outcome was undeniable. Yvette had won.
Jase blinked, his eyes twitching with surprise. He hadn’t seen this coming. The confident, smug expression he had worn earlier quickly evaporated.
He cleared his throat, his face tinged with embarrassment, and took a sip of coffee to cover it up. “This round is yours, Yvette.”
Yvette, casually twirling a black chess piece between her fingers, raised her chin in a teasing gesture. “Does it count?”
Jase let out a sigh, his tone tinged with mock grievance. “You really don’t give your grandpa any face, do you, girl?”
His pitiful expression was at odds with his usual imposing demeanor.
Jeremiah paused for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with the most subtle of smirks, he replied, “Grandpa, you’re overacting.”
Emmett, standing quietly by, now had a clear picture of whose side Jeremiah would take if a real conflict arose between Jase and Yvette.
Jase sputtered, clearly frustrated. What an ungrateful kid, he thought. He’s always undermining me.
Yusef, sensing the tension, quickly stepped in. “Mr. Jase Chavez, Mr. Clifford Chavez just called. He asked if you’re coming back for dinner today.”
Jase’s face brightened immediately. Ah, at least Clifford still cares about me. He gave a satisfied nod, glancing at Jeremiah with a light snort.
Putting on an air of indifference, he said, “Tell Clifford I’m not coming back. I’ll head to Walter’s place instead.”
Yusef nodded and immediately dialed Clifford’s number.
The conversation that followed echoed in the room. “Clifford, Mr. Jase Chavez says he’s not coming back. Don’t bother preparing anything. He’s going to Walter’s place instead.”
On the other end, Clifford’s voice was clear. “Alright, sounds good. It’s Aurora. She let me ask if Dad’s coming home for dinner. Let’s just have him eat at Uncle Walter’s place, so Aurora won’t have to work all day. She’s already exhausted. That’s settled. Hanging up.”
Jase’s smug smile froze. His face turned an odd shade, and he could almost feel the blood drain from it. That little rascal! He’s forgotten all about me once he got married?
He took a deep breath, trying to control his rising frustration. Forget it… it’s my child, my child… He barely kept himself from muttering aloud.
The room fell into awkward silence as Yusef hung up the phone quickly.
Yusef couldn’t help but think, I thought I was playing the role of a firefighter, but instead, I’ve just made things worse.
Yvette, unfazed, carefully placed her black chess piece down and looked up at Jeremiah. “I’m hungry. Let’s have some steak.”
Jeremiah, always attentive, nodded. He stood up and gently ruffled her hair, his fingers lingering on the soft strands. “I’ll go get the ingredients. Wait for me.”
Turning to Jase, he asked, “Grandpa, want to join us?”
Jase hesitated, playing it cool. But the thought of being left out, of being abandoned by his grandson, made him feel uneasy.
Yvette shot him a glance, a small smile tugging at her lips. “The loser has to grant the winner one request. Mine is that you stay and have steak with us.”
Jase put on a reluctant face but was secretly pleased. “Alright then, I’ll stay and have a meal with you, young lady.”
Jase, a man of high status, didn’t often enjoy home-cooked meals. With how cold and distant Jeremiah had always been, family dinners were rare. This invitation, though begrudgingly accepted, made him feel somewhat better.
Emmett and Yusef quickly volunteered to help prepare the food, leaving Yvette and Jase alone in the living room.
Jase regarded Yvette with a more thoughtful expression as he sipped his coffee. He spoke slowly, his voice gentle. “International youth painter Cyanbird? Brilliant physicist S? Top-level confidential officer for Interpol? Founder of the Vibe brand? You’ve got quite a few impressive identities.”
Yvette, unphased, lifted her eyes slightly, her gaze sharp and cold. “So what?” she replied simply.
Jase’s eyebrows twitched. He was surprised by how calm and unbothered she was, considering her many accomplishments. To be so poised at such a young age, with all these titles, it was no wonder she could easily handle herself.
For a moment, he studied her intently, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. “So which one is the real you?”
Yvette leaned back, crossing her legs and looking relaxed. “Every single one of them is me. There’s no conflict.”
Jase, struck by her confidence, stared at her for a long time. Finally, with a soft chuckle, he said, “You’ve passed the test.”
Yvette met his gaze and nodded. “Actually, from the start, today’s test was a setup. You wanted to see if I could spot the flaw, test my observational skills, and see how I handled things. If I had rushed in to help you—‘helpless farmer’—I bet you wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
Jase was silent for a moment, clearly impressed.
