Translator: 549690339
At this moment, Ruby Gregory’s mind was already far beyond Backgammon. Coming back to reality, she replied in agreement, picked up a white piece without even looking at where Howard Coleman had played, and randomly placed it on the board.
Madeleine stood nearby, drinking a glass of water. Seeing such a reckless move from Ruby, she choked violently and started coughing. Yet, shaking her finger at Howard’s three clustered black pieces on the board, she teased Ruby, and said, “Ruby, you’re obviously taking it easy on Howard!”
Ruby had played this move without giving it much thought. Now, Madeleine suddenly exposed it, causing her face to flush with embarrassment. She hurriedly picked up the piece she had just played and put it at one end of Howard’s trio of black pieces.
However, before Ruby’s white piece could settle down, Madeleine said, “Ruby, if vou play it that wav, Howard will still win.”
Before Steve Burton’s arrival, Ruby Gregory might not be able to say she had left Howard Coleman in a complete mess, but she could deal with him easily enough. Now that Steve was sitting by her side, her mind seemed unable to function. It was in a complete state of confusion. Holding a chess piece, she seemed to be staring at the Backgammon pattern on the table, but her mind had already drifted far away. She spent a long time staring foolishly at the board without understanding what Madeleine was pointing at.
Ruby held the chess piece, hesitating for a good while without putting it down.
Seeing Ruby indecisive, Madeleine began to grow anxious too. Not caring about the rule that spectators should not interfere with the game, she directly said, “Ruby, blocked from the other side. If you don’t block him, Howard’s next move will be a winning one.”
The other side?
Ruby turned her head and glanced at Madeleine. But the corner of her eye caught sight of Steve Burton’s stunningly handsome face. The man’s face was expressionless, his gaze fixated on her.
This sight further confused Ruby, turning her brain to a mush. Despite staring at the game, she couldn’t comprehend the situation. She held a white piece hesitantly, weakly placed it on a spot, then raised her head. Her eyes filled with an inquiring look towards Madeleine, implicitly asking if this was the right spot.
“No, not there, block the other side of those three black pieces you just blocked.” Madeleine’s instructions were straight-forward, but seeing Ruby still looking confused, she had to continue, “Move two squares to the left.”
To the left?
Ruby quickly turned her head, planning to count two squares to the left. But with a slight movement, she brushed against Steve’s clothes. This startled her and in her nervousness, she placed the white piece two squares below the original position..