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Chapter 109
The chess tournament had strict time limits each player had sixty minutes to make their moves, with an additional thirty seconds per turns sentil the game concluded. Siting across from Eliana, Willow played carefully, her skill evident–she hadn’t reached the finals by sheer luck alone.
However, Willow lacked real–world experience. Her chess training had been limited to online tutorials and playing against Al opponents. The competitors at the chess hall varied widely in skill–some weren’t even as challenging as the At she’d practiced with Willow’s ability to advance to The finals was due to her natural talent and good luck
Bin her luck ran out the moment she faced Eliana
Elana’s chess skills were forged through real–world experience, not just theoretical lessons. She was thrown into live matches against skilled opponents from her first game. The small chess stand near the studio lot was a hidden treasure trove of talent, with seasoned players whose abilities were far beyond the ordinary.
Over time, through countless challenging games, Hliana had honed her craft to perfection
Every move Eliana made was precise and calculated. There was no hesitation, no wasted moves. She was always three steps ahead, predicting Willow’s moves before they happened.
At first, Willow keps up, finding Eliana’s pace reminiscent of the Al simulations she had practiced against. But once Eliana advanced her piece across the river, Willow’s composure faltered. Her moves slowed, her calculations taking longer with each turn. Eliana, on the other hand, remained calm, even leisurely
As Willow agonized over her next move. Eliana yawned, took a sip of tea, and glanced at Willow’s king with a knowing look that bordered on disdain. Her fingers tapped lightly on the table as she rested her chin in one hand.
“How much longer are you going to take?” she asked, her tone light but edged with impatience.
Willow’s i
‘s jaw tightened, her frustration mounting. “I haven’t run out of time yet. Stop rushing me.”
Eliana smirked. “You can think as long as you want, but it won’t change the outcome. You might as well forfeit and save everyone the time”
Willow’s face darkened. “What did you just say?”
The entire chess hall was focused on their match. Outside, spectators had recreated their game on another board, analyzing every move and whispering about the tension.
On the stage. Bryson and Roman, two prominent chess enthusiasts, observed the match closely
“Red has black cornered,” Bryson remarked. “It’s only a matter of time.”
Roman nodded. “Willow’s position is too weak. Eliana’s dominance is clear.
The red pieces, commanded by Eliana, were closing in Willow’s loss seemed inevitable.
Bryson’s gaze lingered on Eliana. “Eliana plays with confidence because she knows she’s already won. Her calculations are precise, her strategy impeccable
“She’s a natural talent,” Roman agreed. “Far ahead of her peers”
As expected, Willow’s struggle ended in n defeat. T
The referee declared Eliana the winner.
Willow sat motionless, her head bowed as her hair obscured her face. She couldn’t bring herself to accept the loss. All her preparation and determination had been insufficient. Yet the reality was unchangeable.
The spotlight shifted to Eliana. The Chess Association announced her membership, and the club director handed her a pen and some papers to sign. Cameras flashed as Eliana posed with the club leadership. Bryson invited her to stand beside him for the group photo.
On the sidelines, Willow seethed, her hats clenched beneath her sleeves. She had poured endless hours into mastering chess, all for this moment. Instead, Eliana had taken everything. The bitterness burned deep–Willow couldn’t swallow this humiliation.
After the plastos, Eliana glanced at Willow, She didn’t miss the forced smile and simmering anger on Willow’s face. A faint smirk tugged at her lips
Eliana thought, ‘So, Willow, this is what it feels like to pour your heart into something only to fall apart. I hope you savor it! She alone could understand Willow’s pain–because in another lifetime, she had lived through it again and again, all thanks to Willow.
As the crowd dispersed, Eliana headed upstairs to fetch Lunchic. On the way up, Roman leaned casually against the wall, his tall frame relaxed, and remarked, “You don’t seem particularly happy”
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Chapter 109
“Hmm! Really? I feel pretty happy.” Eliana replied with a shrug.
Roman studied her expression. “Not as happy as I imagined. It’s different”
Eliana reached the top of the stairs and gently pinched Lunchie’s ear. “If happiness were rated out of five, I’d say I’m at a three right now”
“Why so low?”
Eliana paused and met his gaze. “Imagine someone who lost everything because of another person. When they finally have the power to take revenge. they feel satisfaction—but there’s always a lingering bitterness from what they endured”
Roman fell silent, thoughtful. Eliana continued, and her voice was steady but laced with quiet resolve.
Willow deserves to feel that bitterness. The heartbreak of wasted effort, the emptiness of shattered dreams. She should know what it’s like to claw her way up, only to have it all fall apart
Roman’s lips curved into a faint smile. “You’re only eighteen, you know. Anyone listening would think you’re thirty”
Eliana chuckled lightly, but her smile faded as she turned to the window. The wind stirred the sheer curtains, her shadow stretching faintly across the wall
“Maybe I am,” she murmured, almost to herself.
Willow left the chess hall clutching her second–place certificate. It was an achievement but a hollow one. Second place wouldn’t grant her access to The Chess Association, the prize she had truly wanted.
Alter returning home, Wendy messaged Willow on WhanApp, asking about the match’s outcome.
Willow. I came in second
Wendy replied: The water at the chess hall wasn’t clean, Shane went to the hospital, and the doctor said it was food poisoning. He only drank the water there, so it must’ve been that]
Willow stared at the message, her face blank.
The puzzle pieces clicked into place. It all started when Shane drank from that pot of water shed spiked with a laxative. So, that explained it. Shane had been the better player. If he hadn’t fallen sick, he would have competed–and Willow wouldn’t have even reached the finals.
For a moment. Willow couldn’t decide whether to deel triumphant or humbled by the strange twist of luck.
If Shane had participated. Willow probably wouldn’t have managed second place!
“Wendy, maybe it’s best if Shane takes a few days off to rest before returning to school. He can get a medical certificate from the hospital while at it,“ Willow suggested
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