Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 1006

"Helen's arrogance won't last long. Once the chess tournament begins, she'll be shown the door!"

"Exactly! It looks like we won't have to deal with her annoying attitude for much longer. The more she flaunts her arrogance now, the harder she'll fall later. Just thinking about it makes everything seem better, doesn't it?"

"Definitely, haha! If she draws Megan's name first, she's finished. Megan is trained by Mr. Murray, the chairman of the Grand Cathay Chess Association. Helen will probably have to concede within ten moves!"

"Absolutely. The only ones in the organization who could possibly match Megan's chess skills are Mr. Chamberlain, this year's chess champion, and Mr. Sheridan. Helen doesn't even come close!"

Megan's friends showered her with praise, lifting her spirits to new heights. A smile gradually spread across her face, and she seemed to radiate with newfound confidence.

At past gatherings, Megan had hoped to catch Otto's eye and make a memorable impression. However, she was repeatedly defeated by Elijah Chamberlain before she even had the opportunity to challenge Otto, leading to her elimination every time.

Last year, Megan had devoted herself to studying chess intensively. This time, she was determined to overcome Elijah and finally compete on the same chessboard as Otto.

Taking a deep breath, Megan centered herself.

She couldn't let Helen distract her; after all, Helen was just a minor hurdle. Her true challenge was Elijah—he was the real opponent she needed to defeat.

…

In a different corner, Helen and Otto mingled with leading figures from various industries. Helen meticulously filed each business card she received into a designated compartment of her handbag.

She believed that these connections could be valuable down the line.

Soon, the chess tournament officially began.

The matchups for the first round were decided by drawing lots. As luck would have it, Helen ended up drawing one of Megan's friends as her opponent.

Those who had reached this stage possessed considerable skill. Their success was attributed not to their family background but to their outstanding abilities that set them apart from the competition.

Meanwhile, Helen remained unfazed by the scrutiny. She met Janice's gaze with a calm smile and said, "Thank you, but there's no need to go to such trouble."

Janice's disdain was barely concealed. She had little faith that this country bumpkin knew anything about chess. To Janice, Helen was simply putting on a show.

To exemplify her composure, Janice patiently explained the rules to Helen, "I'll be using the black pieces, and you'll use the white ones…"

Helen listened intently, maintaining a calm and unhurried demeanor.

Finally, the game was officially underway.

Janice made the first move.

Helen responded with a subtle smile and made her move in turn.