Chapter 161
r 161 Checkmate
161 Checkmate
The moment the match ended, a wave of sympathy swept across the room.
Even those who had never liked Venom’s playing style before began to change their minde
Once the announcer declared Venom the winner, Gary was the first to start clapping
Everyone else, though fully aware of the truth behind the match, still followed suit–because in a place like this, no one dared to go against the tide.
In the lounge, Alice quietly withdrew her gaze from the screen.
Gary’s playing style wasn’t worth analyzing. But Venom…
His strategy felt all too familiar.
Now came the final round –a three–player showdown to decide the top three ranks. Each player would take tums facing the others, and whoever won the most games would walk away with the champion title
Some had assumed Venom would be rattled after the earlier sabotage.
But surprisingly, he only grew stronger.
He swept through the round and claimed the championship title without a hitch.
The host invited him to the stage. Clearly moved by Venom’s resilience despite the injustice he’d suffered. the host couldn’t help asking a few more questions,
“You once said you were here to find your sister. Did she show up today?”
Venom smiled faintly at the mention of this.
“Oh, I’m sure she’s here.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a stir rippled through the crowd.
Curious eyes
turned toward the entrance.
There, walking in with effortless poise, were landl
wife, Kate Reese.
He wore a tailored suit. She wore a gown that shimmered beneath the lights. Together, they were the picture of elegance.
“Mrs. Reese used to be a chess expert back in the day,” someone whispered.
“Yeah, I heard she and her husband actually met through chess.”
“Once they got married, she stopped competing and focused on her family
“Wait–Venom’s mentor is Mrs. Reese?!
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161 Checkmate
“Why didn’t he say so earlier? If he had, Mr. Spencer probably wouldn’t dare to mess with him”
“Yeah, he was wronged. His mentor is probably here to stand up for him.”
The murmurs floated through the room and landed right in
His expression changed rapidly; it was priceless.
Gary’s ears.
Just moments ago, he’d forfeited the game, acting like he’d gone easy on Venom. Now, he looked like a child caught cheating on a test.
Even the host looked stunned.
Venom wasn’t just some rising star–he was the protégé of a legend.
And what’s more, he’d kept it low–profile the whole time..
Now the host looked at Venom with something close to awe
Byron hadn’t intended to draw attention. He was only here for Alice .
But the moment he walked through those doors, all eyes turned.
With a resigned sigh, he glanced at his wife.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Kate laughed softly. “Looks like I’m just basking in your spotlight.”
Byron’s smile turned bitter within seconds.
“ Now I’ve gone and made a scene; she’s definitely not going to want to talk to me.”
Kate couldn’t stop laughing,
“Relax. We’ll sneak out when the crowd dies down. I don’t want her getting bombarded too.”
Byron nodded. “She’s kept herself hidden for a reason. If we can’t help her, the least we can do is not get in the way .
As they exchanged whispers, Gary nervously made his way toward them.
Behind him, a young man and woman hurried over.
Byron recognized the man, but not the woman. It was his assistant–the one responsible t lounge before matches.
aring the
And not cleaning in the janitorial sense–he was checking for spy devices, hidden mics , miniature cameras
anything shady.
After saying a brief hello to Gary, Byron glanced curiously at his assistant.
“Is that your girlfriend?”
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Les hesitated, clearly flustered and unsure how to respond,
But to Linda , that silence felt like confirmation.
Gary quickly jumped in.
“Mr. and Mrs. Reese, this is my sister, Linda Spencer.”
Linda stepped forward with a demure smile, her eyes gleaming like a blushing bride.
“Mr. Reese, Mrs. Reese–it’s such an honor to meet you.”
She was polite, her voice as sweet as honey.
The kind of sweetness that usually wins people over.
But not today.
Byron and Kate exchanged a glance–one look was all it took.
They knew exactly who this woman was . The manipulative impostor.
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The one who had kept Alice from her family for more than 20 years. The one who had stolen everything that wasn’t hers to take.
Disgust churned in their stomachs.
Still, they managed a cool nod, just enough to be civil.
Linda, however, felt quite satisfied.
Byron, after all, was a man of status. Of course he’d act distant–it only made sense.
Yet the deeper problem tugged at her nerves.
If Alice and Byron’s connection were exposed, the Reeses would be thrown into chaos .
Would she still be able to date their
r son then?
But on the other hand, she couldn’t offend the Martinezes either.
Her heart trembled with a jolt.
She couldn’t offend either side.
At that moment, Les Reese suddenly spoke.
“By the
way,
this was dropped off by a young woman earlier.
He held up a small USB drive. Kate tilted her head , curious. “What’s that?”
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