Envy can be a bitter pill to swallow!
Rosemary had been blessed with the good fortune of studying chess under the guidance of Mr. Albright for over a decade, starting when she was just a little girl. Was she seven or eight years old? Or could
she has been even younger, around five or six?
Having someone to mentor her from such a tender age, no wonder she had surpassed them all in talent.
It was only now that they realized why, despite their overt and covert attempts to persuade Mr. Albright to take on protege, he had always refused. He had his eye on someone all along, and what an exceptional choice Rosemary was.
With her by his side, why would Mr. Albright ever consider anyone else?
They would have chosen Rosemary as their protege too.
They had made fools of themselves, thinking too highly of their own childrenâs abilities.
"Does Rosemary have any plans to take on any protege?"
A middle-aged woman stepped forward with great respect and addressed Rosemary, "I would love to study under your guidance. Is there a chance you might accept me?"
Everyone was stunned.
The woman speaking was Mona, a renowned chess player famous nationwide, who had won a multitude of chess championships. It was shocking to see her, a figure of such esteem, willingly step down to learn from Rosemary as a protege.
"I can tell your skills surpass mine, and I hope you would grant me the opportunity to learn from you. I truly love chess,"
Before Monaâs voice trailed off, another notable figure stepped forward.
"If Rosemary isnât considering taking on any protege at the moment, might I at least add you on WhatsApp to get acquainted? Iâm Atwood, the secretary-general of the Chess Association, and I greatly admire your play. The way you handled both offense and defense was nothing short of astonishing."
"Could you possibly give my kid some pointers?" A lady from the crowd approached with her child in tow, "My daughter has been studying chess for seven years, and every mentor has said sheâs immensely talented. Youâre about the same age; perhaps you could be friends."
"Iâd love to learn from you as well."
As the crowd around Rosemary grew, she was about to decline politely when a young womanâs voice broke through.
"Mr. Albright, I heard that Queena is also attending your birthday party. Has she arrived?"
The speaker was Alma, who smiled with easy confidence, "If Queena had come, I wonder what she would make of this game. Simple, or intriguing?"
It was then that the rest of the guests remembered this illustrious individual.
"Right, Queena! I almost forgot about her."
"I heard sheâs won twelve world chess championships. Whenever she competes internationally, the title is hers for the taking."
"Sheâs known for her aggressive play, pinpointing her opponentâs weaknesses and striking swiftly and ruthlessly. Even at a disadvantage, she can turn the situation around in no time."
"Iâve seen her match videos, and even though you only see her hand moving the pieces, itâs such an elegant hand."
"Her game is truly electrifying."
Hearing this, Bluno felt a glimmer of hope that his daughter might have a chance at mentorship, chiming in, "Such a game would hardly impress her, right? Where is she? Would we have the chance to witness her brilliance?"
"Mr. Albright, if Queena wished to study under you, would you accept her as a protege?"
"Her skills must be far superior to this young ladyâs, right?"
"Mr. Albright, has Queena arrived?"
"If she could challenge this young lady to a match, that would be the ultimate spectacle!"
The guests thought that if Queena could make Rosemary look foolish, they would feel much better.
After all, it was hard to accept being outdone by a young girl, but there were also those who were eagerly anticipating; if Mr. Albright insisted on Rosemary as his sole protege, they might still have the
chance to study under Queena.
Rumor had it that in a recent high-profile man-versus-machine match, Queena had defeated an AI,stunning the world and becoming a legend.
had intervened, it wouldnât be strange for Queena to take Serena under her wing.
"Serena, do you know if your mentor Queena is here today?"
"As the protege, you must be pretty skilled at chess, right? Why not challenge her to a match?" They were talking about Rosemary. As Serenaâs gaze met Rosemaryâs, the former became suddenly sheepish.
That was ridiculous; how could she actually face off against Rosemary in such a setting?
She had seen Rosemaryâs prowess with her own eyes! Even Mr. Albright had been bested by her.
Serena had merely been boasting to Lindsay, confident that no one would question the connections and power of the Collins family. But she hadnât anticipated Lindsay blurting it out in front of everyone.
Since when had Lindsay become such a blabbermouth!
"Youâre Queenaâs protege?" Rosemaryâs lips curled into an amused smile as she looked at Serena,
"When did that happen?"
"Serena is not just Queenaâs protege, Queena likes her and has even gifted her the priceless chess set she received from someone seven years ago!" Lindsay added, looking to Serena for confirmation,
"Right, Serena?"
The guests were even more astounded!
"Are you referring to that legendary chess set that made headlines around the world?"
"Rumor has it that the board was handcrafted from a millennium-old tree, and the pieces were carved from 300-year-old seashell fossils buried underground. Itâs a one-of-a-kind set; losing even a single piece would make it irreplaceable."
Each piece was crystal clear and felt amazing to the touch.
When Queena won the championship, a collector felt she deserved such a magnificent set and offered it as a gift.
Who would have thought sheâd pass it on to Serena.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Devoted Love:The Billionaire's Precious Wife