They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System-Chapter 35 - Checkmate

But just as quickly, he looked away, his features hardening into his usual cold demeanor.

“What are you doing here?” Four’s tone was sharp, his icy glare fixed on her.

Nnenna smiled lightly, unfazed by his hostility.

“I came to see you.

It’s been weeks, and I thought I should come and say hi.” She gestured to him and added, “It looks like your physical therapy is going well.

You’re standing without wobbling.”

Four’s frown deepened.

“It’s not going well,” he snapped, clearly displeased by her observation.

She ignored the anger in his voice and pressed on.

“If you don’t mind… can we play a game of chess?” she asked, her tone calm but curious.

For a moment, he looked as though he was about to order her out of the room.

His jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed, but then he surprised her.

He hesitated, then sighed, waving a hand toward the chair by the chessboard.

“Sit down,” he said curtly, as though the words themselves were an effort.

Four walked over to the table without a word, his movements deliberate and sharp.

Nnenna followed quietly, sensing the weight of his lingering frustration.

She sat across from him as he set up the board with practiced precision, each piece placed with almost military precision.

The game began with Nnenna opting for a simple opening, moving her pawn to e4.

Four countered instantly, pushing his pawn to e5 without hesitation.

His silence hung over the room like a storm cloud, and she felt the intensity of his focus.

Nnenna tried to establish control in the center, moving her knight to f3, but Four’s response was quick and calculated, mirroring her move with his own knight to c6.

It was clear he wasn’t playing casually, every move was deliberate, almost aggressive.

As the game progressed, she attempted to castle early, seeking safety for her king.

Four, however, was relentless.

His bishop slid to b4, pinning her knight to her king.

“You’re good,” she murmured, trying to break the tension.

He didn’t respond.

Instead, he moved his queen into play, taking control of the center with a threatening presence on d5.

Nnenna did her best to hold her ground, advancing her pawns and developing her pieces, but Four’s strategy was ruthless.

He baited her into a false sense of security with a seemingly unprotected pawn.

When she took the bait, he launched an attack, his knight forking her rook and queen.

“Ah, that was clever,” she said with a nervous laugh, trying to lighten the mood, but her words barely registered.

The game spiraled quickly after that.

Four’s moves were precise, each one pushing her into an increasingly tight corner.

His rooks swept across the board, dominating the open files.

His queen was like a predator, hunting her pieces down mercilessly.

In a final blow, his knight delivered a check, forcing her king to the edge of the board.

Within three moves, he executed a textbook mate, trapping her king with his rook and queen.

“Checkmate,” he said flatly, his voice devoid of any triumph.

One sided beaten Nnenna “…”

She blinked at the board, taking in the complete destruction of her side.

“Wow… You really don’t hold back, do you?” she said softly, looking up at him.

Two more games followed after the first.

Nnenna played with quiet determination, but Four’s intensity didn’t waver.

In the second game, his moves were calculated, his strategy flawless.

He crushed her in fewer moves than before, his aggressive skill making it impossible for her to gain any control on the board.

By the third game, she noticed his movements had softened slightly.

His play remained precise, but his earlier aggression seemed to ebb.

Nnenna finally managed to seize an opening, carefully advancing her queen and rook in tandem to corner his king.

“Checkmate,” she whispered, her voice hesitant, unsure how he would react.

Four leaned back slightly, staring at the board with an inscrutable expression.

For a moment, Nnenna thought he might lash out, but instead, he simply nodded.

They continued playing in silence.

Though she only managed one win, it was clear the games were serving their purpose.

Four’s sharp demeanor gradually eased, his posture less rigid, and the air around him less oppressive.

When they finally stopped, his shoulders were relaxed, his breathing steady.

He sat back and looked at her for the first time since she’d entered the room, his eyes no longer filled with that smoldering anger but still as cold as usual

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” he said quietly, his tone even, the words almost swallowed by the stillness of the room.

Nnenna met his frosty expression with a small, knowing smile, sensing she had made progress despite his words.

“What’s got you all worked up?” she asked, still smiling, her voice soft and warm, as if she could coax an answer out of his silence.

Silence.

Four stood up and walked to the other side of the room, deliberately turning his back to her.

His shoulders were tense, and his movements sharp, a clear sign that whatever was bothering him wasn’t going away anytime soon.

But Nnenna wasn’t the type to give up so easily.

Ignoring his icy demeanor, she continued speaking.

“You know, in physical therapy, you’re supposed to move your arms and legs often, right?

Exercise them to keep your muscles active.

What did the director call it again?

Is it muscle cramp, or…”

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS

JedidiahBeaufoy

Your gift is the motivation for my creation.

Give me more motivation!