章節 35: What do you want?
The thrill of victory still hummed in my veins as Rowena and I walked off the court. I could feel every beat of my heart like it was echoing through my entire body.
The crowd's cheers had long faded into background noise, but my grin stayed firmly in place, even as Mom walked up, a distinct look of exasperation on her face.
"Really, Rhiannon?" she began, crossing her arms. "You used Seraphine's overprotectiveness against her? That's low, even for you."
I couldn't help but laugh, though I tried to stifle it with a cough. "It's not like it's cheating, Mom. It's called strategy. Besides," I added with a shrug, "she fell for it."
Rowena chimed in, smirking. "Yeah, if anything, we were teaching her a lesson. You've gotta keep your head in the game."
Mom gave us both a flat look before pinching the bridge of her nose. "I swear, the two of you are impossible."
"Don't be mad!" I said, still trying to keep a straight face. "It was all in good fun."
"Fun for you, maybe," Mom retorted. "Do you know how long it'll take for her to stop brooding about this? She hates losing."
"She'll get over it," Rowena said dismissively, waving a hand.
I turned to her, curious. "But seriously, why were you two even playing? Don't you have, like, royal demon queen duties or something?"
Mom sighed, her stance relaxing just a bit. "The staff asked us to participate. They thought it would 'spice up the game' and make things more exciting for the spectators. And, well…" She glanced toward the beach with a small smile. "It was fun. A little chaotic, sure, but still fun."
I blinked at her. "Wait. You mean you did this just because they asked?"
"Why not?" she said with a shrug. "It was a unique experience. Plus, I thought it'd be funny to see you and Rowena squirm."
"Squirm?" I scoffed. "If anyone was squirming out there, it wasn't us."
Rowena snorted. "Definitely wasn't us."
Mom rolled her eyes, but I could tell she wasn't actually mad. That was good, because my thoughts were already racing ahead to what came next.
The prize.
I couldn't stop myself from grinning, my mind spiraling into increasingly dramatic scenarios. One private night with the tattooed mafia girl. The idea alone made my chest tighten, my pulse quicken, and my grin stretch so wide my cheeks ached.
Rowena gave me a sideways glance, one brow raised. "What's with you?"
"Huh?" I asked, trying to school my expression into something less ridiculous.
"You're bouncing like a sugar-high pixie," she said. "What's going on in that brain of yours?"
"Nothing!" I said quickly, though the way her brow arched higher told me she didn't believe a word.
"Uh-huh. Sure." She rolled her eyes. "Well, while you're planning whatever it is you're planning, I already know what I'm asking for."
That caught my attention. "Oh yeah? What's it gonna be?"
Rowena's grin turned downright mischievous. "Access to the forbidden place."
I blinked. "The what?"
"You know, the off-limits part of the hotel," she said, her voice low and conspiratorial. "Every fancy place like this has one. Hidden doors, secret rooms, all that stuff. I wanna see what they're hiding."
"Of course you do," I said, shaking my head with a laugh. "You and your obsession with sneaking into places you're not supposed to be."
"It's not an obsession," she said, looking offended. "It's an appreciation for the art of mystery."
"Sure, Rowena. Whatever helps you sleep at night."
We reached the designated area where the staff were waiting to take our requests. The air felt charged with anticipation, and I noticed a few other participants loitering nearby, their faces a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Rowena, being Rowena, was the first to step forward. "Alright," she said confidently, crossing her arms. "I want access to the forbidden place."
The staff exchanged looks, their expressions ranging from amused to mildly alarmed. One of them, a tall woman with sharp features, stepped forward. "I'm sorry, but the restricted areas of the hotel are off-limits for a reason. We can't allow that."
Rowena didn't miss a beat. "Come on. You said we could ask for anything. That's my request."
"It's not a matter of want; it's a matter of policy," the woman said, clearly trying to maintain her professionalism.
Rowena leaned forward, her grin widening. "So you admit it exists."
The woman hesitated, then sighed. "Of course it exists, but—"
"Then let me in," Rowena interrupted, her tone playful but insistent.
The exchange quickly turned into a back-and-forth argument, with Rowena using every ounce of her charm and wit to wear the staff down. I stood back, arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the woman relented with a heavy sigh. "Fine. We'll grant you access—for one hour. But you'll be accompanied by a staff member the entire time, and you're not allowed to touch anything."
Rowena pumped her fist in triumph. "Deal."
The staff woman turned to me, looking like she already regretted her life choices. "And you?"
I stepped forward, my heart pounding in my chest. This was it. The moment I'd been daydreaming about all day.
"I…" My voice came out steadier than I expected. "I want the chef with the tattoos. For one night."
The woman's eyebrows shot up, and a few of the other staff members exchanged surprised glances.
"You mean…" she began, trailing off as if she wasn't sure she'd heard me correctly.
"You know who I'm talking about," I said, my cheeks warming but my resolve firm.
The woman stared at me for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Alright. We'll arrange it."
Rowena whistled low, clearly impressed. "Bold move, Rhi."
I ignored her, focusing instead on the staff member, who looked like she was mentally preparing for whatever chaos was about to ensue.
"We'll do our best to make it happen," the woman said, her tone more resigned than anything else.
I nodded, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and nerves. This was going to be interesting.
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