Chapter 113 Above the Chessboard
"He can look all he wants. What's it got to do with me?"
Daisy's tone was dismissive.
Did he really not care? Even she herself didn't know the answer to that.
Otherwise, why would her heart have tightened the moment she saw Vincent?
Maybe she really did look exhausted, because Felix didn't say anything more.
Not long after the car pulled out, her phone buzzed. Daisy picked it up and saw it was a message from Vincent.
[Are you dating Felix?]
Daisy stared at those words but she didn't reply, instead she turned the phone face down on her lap.
On the weekend, Daisy remembered what Richard had mentioned on the phone last time and decided to make a trip to the Blacks' estate.
She told Shawn before taking her car.
The Blacks' Mansion was quite far—several hours' drive.
She left early in the morning, and it was almost afternoon by the time she arrived.
Daisy parked the car at the entrance and rang the doorbell.
The butler came to open the door. When he saw her, he paused for a moment, then smiled.
"Ms. Hart is here? Richard is in the garden, please come in."
Daisy nodded and walked in along the marble tiles.
The garden didn't have flowers, but there were plenty of trees, and a fish pond had been created in the middle.
When Richard had nothing to do, his favorite thing was to fish here.
Deep in the garden was a large pavilion, surrounded by a circle of people, with Richard's voice carrying over from a distance.
When Daisy walked over, she saw that Vincent had actually brought Vanessa, who was playing chess with Richard.
Vincent was watching from the side.
Sam had come back too. He spotted Daisy right away and stood up with a smile to greet her, "You're here."
That shout drew everyone's attention.
Daisy felt awkward standing there, her expression stiffening.
"Grandpa, I'm here."
Richard looked up, saw her, and smiled.
"Here to pick up something, right? Finally got you to come. Sit, um... Betty, get the thing I prepared earlier, it's under the desk in my study, wrapped in red plastic paper, bring it to Daisy."
Sam winked at her and shifted over to make room for her.
He already knew about Daisy and Vincent's divorce. Calling her Mrs. Black now didn't seem right, but calling her "Daisy" felt awkward with his brother right there.
Daisy was about to say, "Just call me by my name," but Vincent spoke first.
"Still call her Mrs. Black. The divorce isn't finalized yet."
Sam chuckled, "Mrs. Black."
Daisy pressed her lips together and looked at Vincent, but Vincent didn't look at her—his eyes were fixed on the chessboard.
Vanessa's eyes were also fixed on the chessboard, except the chess piece in her hand was gripped so tightly her fingertips turned white.
"Nessa?" Richard called to her.
Only then did Vanessa snap back to attention, saying, "Look at me, I don't even know how to make this move."
Richard teased her, "You don't know? You've beaten me several times today. I'm not playing with you anymore."
Daisy sat there bored and glanced at the chessboard. Vanessa was playing white, Richard was black. From the current position, white had a clear advantage, and black was about to lose.
She'd only known that Vanessa was great at piano, but didn't know she could also play chess.
"Check." Vanessa placed a piece and said softly.
Richard's eyes widened, then he shook his head and laughed, "I was wondering why I thought so long just now—turns out you were planning to finish me off in one move!"
"I'm done playing. No one can beat you."
Vanessa smiled gently and said, "You were letting me win."
"I wasn't letting you win." Richard waved his hands repeatedly, "I accept defeat."
A servant nearby laughed and said, "Miss Drake is really good at chess. Mr. Black, do you dare compete with Miss Drake?"
Vincent was also a chess master—not only Daisy know this, but everyone in the Blacks family knew it.
The butler chimed in, "Playing against Miss Drake, Mr. Black definitely wouldn't dare to win. If he won, wouldn't he have to kneel on the keyboard when he got home?"
Everyone laughed.
Vincent's lips curved slightly. Daisy wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but he seemed to glance in her direction just then, before saying, "What's there to be afraid of? I was the one who taught her chess!"
Vanessa perked up immediately, pulling at Vincent playfully, "I've been wanting to compete with you for ages. Come on!"
Richard laughingly gave up his seat to Vincent.
Vincent set up the pieces. His fingers were slender, moving between black and white, looking particularly elegant.
He played chess with almost no hesitation. Each time Vanessa finished placing a piece, he immediately followed with his own, with almost no thinking time.
But Vanessa, who had just been dominating everyone, was taking longer and longer to think.
Finally, after Vincent placed a piece, she threw down her piece with a mix of frustration and playfulness.
"I lost! You couldn't even let me win a little!"
Vincent smiled slightly, "Letting you win would be disrespecting you."
Vanessa smiled and pressed her lips together.
After playing for so long, she was tired. She took some water from a servant and drank, her gaze unconsciously drifting toward Daisy before pulling back.
Daisy sat there idly, glancing at the chessboard a few times.
"Daisy, do you know how to play chess?" Sam suddenly asked.
Daisy smiled, "A little."
Sam's eyes lit up, "Then play a game with my brother! Let him see what you've got."
"Maybe not, I—"
Sam pulled her over, saying, "What are you afraid of? It's not embarrassing to lose." He turned and said, "Bro, play a game with sister-in-law."
Vincent was about to speak when Betty, who had been sent to fetch something earlier, came running back, slightly out of breath, carrying a paper bag. "Ms. Hart, this is what Richard prepared for you."
Daisy stood up and took the paper bag.
The bag wasn't large, but it was heavy, tightly wrapped—she didn't know what was inside.
She didn't open it, just held it in her hand, nodded to Richard, and said, "Richard, I got the things, thank you. I'll be going now."
Richard looked at her, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself, finally just nodding.
Daisy turned to leave.
"You don't dare?" Vincent's voice came from behind her. It was hard to tell what tone it was, but to Daisy's ears, it sounded like mockery.
She turned around and looked at him.
The afternoon sunlight wasn't strong, falling warmly on people.
Vincent sat in front of the chessboard, holding a chess piece in his hand, slowly spinning it between his fingertips, his posture relaxed and casual.
Suddenly, Daisy's competitive spirit was sparked.
"Fine, let's play." She put the paper bag aside and sat down across from him.
"Are you playing black or white?"