NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: Boardroom Tension
[Location: Skybound Interactive – Executive Conference Room]
The soft murmur of voices quieted as Lilly Li stepped into the sleek, glass-walled conference room at Skybound Interactive.
Twelve sets of eyes flicked toward her, each expression varying between curiosity and thinly veiled caution. The long, polished table stretched ahead, scattered with documents, untouched coffee cups, and the faint tension that lingered before important meetings.
And at the head of the table—Rocky Chan.
His meter flickered faintly the moment their eyes met.
[Rocky Chan: -33 (Hatred)]
Lilly's heels clicked softly as she took the empty seat across from him, smoothing her blazer with deliberate ease.
She hadn't been invited to this meeting.
But that was exactly why she was here.
Grace Liu, Rocky's ever-efficient assistant, sat two seats away, flipping through a sleek black notebook. Her meter hovered just within sight.
[Grace Liu: +65 (Favor)]
Grace didn't look up, but Lilly could feel the weight of her attention.
Good.
"Miss Li," Rocky's voice broke the silence, his gaze resting on her calmly. "I wasn't expecting you this afternoon."
Lilly's lips curved faintly. "I thought I'd observe. After all, the divorce hasn't been finalized yet. Technically, I'm still Mrs. Chan."
The ripple that followed was almost imperceptible, but the way Rocky's jaw tightened told her everything she needed to know.
[-34]
He didn't respond immediately, instead glancing toward the board members who watched with awkward, forced neutrality.
"This is a closed strategy session," Rocky replied smoothly, though the slight edge to his tone betrayed his frustration.
Lilly leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other as she folded her hands neatly in her lap.
"Then I'll be quiet."
Rocky's meter flickered.
[-35]
Across the table, one of the senior executives shifted uncomfortably.
"Actually," Grace interjected softly, her pen tapping lightly against the edge of her notebook, "we were just reviewing potential expansions into Macau's online market. Victor Zhou's platforms have been dominating the space."
Lilly's gaze didn't waver, but the name twisted faintly in the air like smoke.
Of course.
Victor's presence stretched far beyond luxury casinos and physical holdings. His gaming empire extended into online poker, mobile gambling apps, and virtual lotteries—platforms designed to hook users and keep them coming back.
Skybound Interactive couldn't afford to fall behind.
Rocky's expression remained neutral, but Lilly could feel the slight shift in the room.
He wasn't interested in Macau.
He was interested in Victor Zhou.
Lilly glanced toward Grace, meeting her eyes for the briefest moment.
Smart.
Rocky wouldn't entertain personal grudges during meetings. But if Victor became a business threat, that was a different matter entirely.
Lilly's gaze flicked to the screen displaying various projections and figures.
"I assume Skybound's considering expansion through partnerships?" Lilly asked casually, her eyes trailing along the margins of the charts.
Grace's pen stilled.
Rocky's eyes narrowed.
[-36]
"We haven't finalized that," Rocky replied, though the clipped edge in his voice betrayed the growing tension beneath his calm exterior.
Lilly smiled faintly, tapping the armrest of her chair.
"Victor has a habit of outmaneuvering competition," she continued lightly, as if the words meant nothing. "He doesn't partner. He acquires."
Grace's gaze flickered toward her subtly, though she masked it well.
[Grace Liu: +68]
Lilly met her eyes briefly, the understanding passing between them silently.
Grace already knew.
She had been keeping tabs on Victor long before this meeting.
Rocky's fingers tightened against the armrest.
[-38]
Good.
"If Victor's targeting Macau's online platforms," Lilly continued, leaning forward just slightly, "Skybound will need someone who understands his patterns."
Rocky's gaze darkened faintly. "And I suppose you're volunteering?"
Lilly smiled, tilting her head. "I'm just offering insight."
[-39]
The tension in the room stretched like a thin wire, tight and humming with the weight of unspoken rivalry.
Lilly knew Rocky.
He wouldn't openly react, but he didn't like feeling cornered.
Especially not by someone who knew how to play the game better than he expected.
Grace cleared her throat softly, flipping to the next section of her notes.
"We'll revisit this after reviewing more data," she said diplomatically, her eyes flicking between Lilly and Rocky. "For now, let's shift focus to the Q3 projections."
The meeting drifted into quieter waters, but the undercurrent remained.
Lilly let it.
She wasn't here to win over the board.
She was here to remind Rocky exactly who he was dealing with.
By the time the meeting ended, the sun had dipped below the skyline, casting long shadows through the glass.
Rocky lingered at the head of the table as the board members filtered out. Grace exchanged a brief nod with him before disappearing into the corridor, leaving them alone in the conference room.
Lilly took her time gathering her things.
"You didn't need to come today," Rocky remarked, his tone cooling now that the others were gone.
Lilly smiled faintly, tucking a folder into her bag.
"I know."
Rocky's eyes traced her carefully, as if searching for something beneath her calm exterior.
"Victor isn't a good match for you, Lilly."
Her gaze lifted, locking with his.
"Neither were you."
[-41]
Rocky's expression shifted—just a flicker, but enough.
Lilly stepped past him, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor.
She didn't turn back when she added softly, "But you made a mistake thinking I wouldn't find someone who was."
His meter dropped again.
[-44]
The game wasn't over.
Not yet.