Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 1011

"Don't worry about him," Otto reassured Helen. "Mr. Chamberlain values skill over personal connections. For him, only top-notch chess players are worth his time. When I first met him, he was even more aloof with me than he was with you."

Helen had to admit that Otto's words resonated with her. She let out a sigh and said, "It's fine. After all, it's better to let skill speak for itself than to try to charm people. I actually find it quite appealing to live within one's own inner world."

"I'm relieved you're not upset," Otto said regretfully. "It was my mistake to introduce you so abruptly."

Helen raised an eyebrow, signaling that she hadn't taken it to heart.

"Oh, and one more thing," Otto added. "Your next opponent is Megan. You might already know she's Chandler's cousin. I hear she's fiercely determined to win this time and probably won't go easy on you.

"However, she's also a student of Mr. Murray, so losing to her wouldn't be the end of the world. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Helen looked at Otto sharply and replied, "Do you always have to be so overprotective? Who says I can't win?"

Even though many doubted Helen's abilities, she typically brushed off their skepticism. Nonetheless, Otto's words genuinely unsettled her.

Otto waved his finger and said, "I'm not suggesting you can't win. I just wanted to remind you that it's okay if you don't. Reaching the finals is a significant achievement in itself. No matter what happens, you'll always be exceptional in my eyes."

A warm sensation spread through Helen's heart. Despite feeling a bit flustered, she managed to stay composed and said firmly, "Don't worry. As your date, I'll make sure to uphold your reputation."

Helen merely yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. "Sorry, I must have dozed off for a moment. Did you say something?" she replied drowsily.

"How dare you!" Megan shouted furiously, her previous attack evidently having achieved nothing. Her face turned red, a testament to her frustration.

"Helen!" Megan insisted, "Remember our agreement—whoever loses has to kneel and apologize!"

Without wasting any more time, Helen pressed the start button on the clock. "Enough talk. Let's get on with it."