Page 143 of Forbidden Game

“That was impressive, Parker.”

“Pardon?” I whip my head around.

“Your game, it was impressive to see it in person.” Grandfather lifts his eyes from his cellphone and gives me a warm smile. “I still don’t fully understand it, but it was entertaining to watch.”

“Thank you.” Hope bubbles in my chest.

“The crowd was excited by everything you did. They loved you. They do love you. It’s quite the community you have, and it’s clear how influential you are.”

I grin now. “The community is what makes it the best. It’s not just the fans, but the other gamers, too. In the speedrun community, we work together on new ways to outsmart the system.”

Grandfather hums, crossing his ankles. “And you broke a record, correct?”

“I did. I now hold the world’s fastest speedrun for Final Destiny.”

I have no doubt that Creep would try to dethrone me as quickly as possible, but I don’t care. I’d accomplished what I’d set out to achieve, and I’d take the win.

“You didn’t give up, Parker. I’m proud of you.”

Chills race over my skin at the praise. But because I’m a masochist, I say, “Even though I didn’t win the championship?”

“This was never meant to be a punishment, Parker. I didn’t enter into this agreement hoping you would fail.”

I wince, knowing I had done just that.

His face softens as he purses his thin lips. “Come here.” He pats the seat next to him.

I crouch and shuffle my way to the other side of the limo to sit beside him.

“I’m not going to stop the vote, Parker. You have to take responsibility for your choices. Part of becoming an adult is accepting your failures just as much as your wins; it’s the only way you’ll continue to grow.”

I know he is right. It is how I made it this far in my gaming career. I could’ve lost the Miami tournament and thrown in the towel. I could have vowed to never play Final Destiny again or to never face Creep. Instead, I used the anger of my loss to train harder. I took that loss, and I turned it into one of the biggest wins of my career.

Hearing the crowd chant “English” over and over reminded me that I’m not just a Covington. That I really have made a name for myself, one that I am proud of.

“I was holding myself back,” I whisper in realization.

Grandfather pats my leg. “Took you long enough.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you can’t reach for the stars if you keep one foot on the ground, son. If you are going to commit to your career, if you are going to be the best, you have to give it your all. And I’ll never be disappointed in you so long as you are giving it one hundred percent. You showed that today. You showed me that, even against the odds, you’ll fight, and you’ll come out on top.” He grins at me now, and the truth of his words sinks into my bones, rewriting the very way I look at life. “I told you, I’m proud of you, Parker. Just because you’re no longer the heir doesn’t mean you’re not part of this family. You’re still a Covington. You’re still my grandson.”

“Damn straight, I’m still a Covington.” I grin back.

He is right. I am fucking proud of myself. I might not have won the championship, but proving myself against Creep had been way more important.

“There seems to be quite a bit of money in this industry of yours. Maybe we’ll look at sponsoring one of those esports teams.”

“Always looking to make more money, aren’t you?” I roll my eyes.

“I told you, it’s always about the money.”

The car rolls to a stop, and Frank hops out to open the door.

“How long do I have?” I ask my grandfather as we make our way through the hospital.

“The board votes in four weeks, just before the holidays.”

---