“The real chess set is now held firmly in Mr. Albright's hands. Queena said that she had never gifted Serena with a chess set, let
alone mentored her, so all the tit's Serena who lied and made a fool of us?” The room seemed to swell with disbelief. Could
Serena, the daughter of the Collins family, have woven such a deceitful tale?
The revelation was nothing short of a bombshell.
"Indeed, Queena is quite the craftswoman. She once madea set," Eugene's voice was laced with a touch of pleasure.
The set had been a playful project for Queena at the time, but from the very first glance, Eugene had coveted it for himself.
Fortunately, the generous young lady had presented it to him on the spot.
That particular chess set, her maiden creation, was still treasured in the safe confines of his vault.
"Serena, say something." Lindsay pressed, her patience waning; what on earth was going on?
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"Queena, is she really your protege or not?"
"Is there sfeud between you two that led to this mess, or have you never actually taken her under your wing? Is she lying?"
Everyone seemed to be looking to Arabella for the truth of the matter.
Before Arabella could respond, Jarvis chimed in with a sly smile, "Knowing Queena as | do, she's far too busy to tutor anyone, let
alone take on a protege."
The crowd was struck by yet another wave of astonishment. Mr. Jarvis' words implied that it was indeed Serena who had been
weaving lies all along. Queena had never had the tto guide her.
"A lady from a rich family, lying through her teeth."
"Is it really necessary to puff herself up like that?"
"| can't believe how vain she is."
"She didn't think Queena would be here to call her bluff. It's utterly laughable."
Alma, though shocked and surprised at Arabella being Queena, couldn't help but revel in Serena's embarrassment. It seemed
Serena's arrogance was finally being met with the slap of reality it so deserved.
In the crowd, the renowned professional chess player Mona suddenly understood why Arabella had not offered her an opportunity
to learn, not taken her as a protege. She stood before Queena herself! How could she, even with her credentials, hope to catch the
eye of such a master?
The Chess Association's Secretary-General, Atwood, felt a burning sensation creep across his cheeks. He had been oblivious to the
young woman's true identity and had foolishly hoped to add her on Whatto bridge a connection.
The other guests who had been vying for Arabella's mentorship for their children now felt a sense of embarrassment. Arabella was
Queena, a nthat stood shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Albright, who had even hinted that Queena's skill surpassed his own.
How could such a distinguished master randomly take on a protege or casually provide guidance?
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At that moment, Serena massaged her temples and said weakly, "lI apologize. I'm feeling a bit unwell. | must excuse myself."
As she attempted to leave, a couple of guests blocked her path.
"You spread rumors about being Queena's protege, and now that you're caught, you think you can just walk away?"
"Your chess skills are so lacking, and you almost tarnished Queena's reputation. It's generous enough that she hasn't held you
accountable; don't you think you owe her an apology?"
"Not even a simple 'sorry'? It's hard to believe how the Collins family raised you."
"Do your parents even know about this?"
Serena's eyes flickered with concern at the mention of her parents, fearing the scandal might reach them.
"I'm sorry."