Queen's Gambit in Office

riend Kate Cox had a boyfriend,

ily opened WhatsApp and r

t a message: "May

ss touched his collar and a

.

a car, ensconced in the arms of a man. She moved with an exquisit

led down the window and asked with a sm

I said

she c

shoulder bag towards the ground. However, just as it was on the verge of striking the d

h

brand-new

ce: 20, 00

was as if they had seen

eclare I was drunk rathe

other drink! You can't refuse to drink with me just because I se

ve life at me, I'll m

nciple was that no one co

y declared just days ago, "Anyone w

ys ago, she was fine, and

I was truly drunk; otherwise

ts in a daze and col

gure flitted before my eyes. I couldn't help but extend my hand to grasp

d to bel

ible that I couldn

d the nearby people, and

like "How much for a night?" "

vely clo

y own phone number in the search bar. When I got to

ld I do

was anyone who could have a num

expectedly brought up a W

. The man's hand was exceptionally good-looking, with pale ski

, my head a

ol, the photo looked particu

added him to

ee minutes, there

nutes passed, st

e open for str

as carefully selec

t mean not

Was he lookin

eople just proved that I st

he mean

cat and his

the shower, I trie

e, "Are you n

.

as the worst thing to sa

it?" would defini

contact on my phon

r to delete it, a messa

and resting on it, nails painted a bright red. The sta

mpty input box,

owing some ph

was no movement, not e

l sil

creepy, if asking to see a man's ches

I suddenly reme

the man's pro

gh, he wa

ous photos, and decisively chose to hide th

dignity, just like a

nother message: "I made a mistake. I meant to say,

inally a stir on the other end. I stared intently as t

sage would pop

, the typing ind

g able to take a joke crossed my m

at the r

provoki

wouldn't dare

e me as a

d on the voice message, th

l chess? Is this y

very

ked

onversion had some errors, I in

anted... to h

ht upward inflection, and the last word was pronoun

uddenly t

, so I turned to open my be

n showing me his ches

reply cam

on't know, "

g chest, " she suggested. Then, as if recallin

"Dora, you've never had guys approach you because you're

admit that it was me who ha

he chat, I found sev

't you re

nt to see

someone

ame a

to my face, something trickling from my nose. I q

t, so

drifted

3, 4

ck fabric pants b

age, reasoning that with so many people in thi

est? Are you just pla

esitating or pondering something,

a free pe

th, with a lilting acce

checked m

e hundr

me, it

ouldn't send a

ycheck wouldn't come for another month. I n

0 eno

ly, but I fel

y transferr

ept it. Inste

up, but in my nervousness

bold; I was timid actua

spoke

generou

complimenting, mocking, or

men were adept a

t's

experienced, do y

ust wi

ia

all

your nam

ff when he asked

name" sounded familiar, like

dropped my phone. Staring at his bla

ou kn

chuckle, then said, "If I knew yo

nable a

to arg

"I'm tired, let's talk t

still felt

.

nship. Honestly, I never expected to l

ntrance examination, and my Grade Point Average over the four - year period was abysm

y asked HR why

wer was

every company needs

unexpected

? Blame my good

broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long legs, and was wearing a charcoal - gray suit tha

g at his phone. His bangs partially veiled his ey

I stepped in, the space felt cramp

on a call, with

the line ask some

understan

was t

g until it settled on the ma

ver w

ked fa

skipped

way

e, bringing the watch into view,

see cle

ring for a while. He ha

d his voice sound more famil

..." I blu

d immediately, as if unsur

rnational

ish the sentence despi

ust when I thought he might admit it,

iness card from his pocket and handed

fi

a company

tly spe

ing utterly mortified. Was I out of my

vator d

I dared to flip

n Ha

no.

't he using the e