Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
It was then that Mr. Albright graced the backstage, engaging Mirabella in a game that left the onlookers in utter disbelief. To everyone’s astonishment, Mirabella bested Mr. Albright, the undisputed chess maestro. Even more astonishing was when Mr. Albright openly praised Mirabella’s exceptional talent, admitting that she had surpassed her mentor and even considering her as his potential successor.
The level of Mirabella’s chess play had shocked Alma then, but now, as she gazed upon the complex board Mirabella had devised, the sense of awe washed over her with even greater intensity.
If Mirabella had indeed concocted this intricate game on her own, her unfathomable skill far surpassed that of all the chess masters present, combined.
The thought of her previous victory over Mr. Albright didn’t seem so surprising anymore.
With only two minutes left, Mr. Albright, wearing a contented smile, signaled his servant to bring forth his favorite chess set. Carefully placing the pieces according to Mirabella’s design, he crafted the enigmatic scenario on the board.
“Time is up.” Mr. Albright announced cheerily, addressing the guests, “Would anyone care to step up and give it a try?”
The guests exchanged glances, none daring to approach the daunting chess puzzle before them.Many of them dreamed of becoming his sole mentee, but this challenge was clearly beyond them.
“Lindsay, go on up,” urged Bluno, Lindsay’s father and a successful man. His life’s experiences had taught him the importance of seizing opportunities.
Now, with no one presenting a solution, if his daughter dared to try, even without a strategy, her courage alone might draw Mr. Albright’s attention.
“Dad, I’m truly at a loss,” Lindsay’s words was not of modesty but of genuine cluelessness.
“Can’t you make even one move?” Bluno couldn’t understand why placing a single piece on the board was such a difficult task.
“Mr. Albright is a celebrated chess legend; don’t worry about embarrassing yourself. You’re young. It’s normal to face puzzles you can’t solve. The main thing is to get noticed by him.”
Bluno’s point was clear: even if his daughter had no ideas, she could at least make an impression before anyone else did.
Lindsay lacked the courage to step forward. She looked towards Mirabella, questioning whether the game’s design was indeed her own creation.
Mabel’s grandmother turned to her granddaughter, “Still no ideas?”
“I’m afraid so.” Mabel, feeling the weight of the challenge, was at a loss for a solution as she peered at the board.
“Christine, what about you?” Madeline’s family whispered to their child.
Madeline shook her head, obviously not up to the task.
“Roxanne, why so quiet?” Roxanne’s mother probed her daughter, “You can’t figure it out either?”“Yes.”
A couple of veteran chess masters in attendance, whose lives were steeped in the game, had never encountered such a scenario.
Was there really a solution?
“It seems Bella is the only candidate for my protege,” Mr. Albright remarked with a twinkle in his eye, leaving the statement open-ended.
He was aware of Mirabella’s busy life and her likely inability to take on the mantle, so he did not press her to commit in front of everyone.
Instead, he implied that she was his choice in his heart, leaving the final decision to her.
The crowd turned their eyes towards Mirabella, a mix of envy, frustration, and jealousy simmering in their gaze.
Bagging a compliment from Mr. Albright was something many had only dreamed of!
“Mr. Albright, is there really a solution to this puzzle?” someone asked with a hint of grievance in their voice, “How do you know she can solve it?”
Eugene, with a gleam in his eye and a smile playing on his lips, said, “The puzzle was crafted by her own hand; of course, she can solve it.”
“But who’s to say she didn’t just scribble something random?”
“If she really did draw it, maybe she’s known the answer all along.”
“Mr. Albright, does she even understand chess? If she’s that good, why not have her demonstrate for us?”
“Yeah, we’ve got time. How about it, miss? Show us how to solve this game.”
“I want to see this.”
“Me too.”
The crowd was skeptical. How could this young lady outshine many chess masters present and unravel such a complex game?
Eugene looked at Mirabella with a smile and gracefully gestured for her to take a seat at the chessboard.
Mirabella knew that Grandpa Eugene wanted her to dazzle the crowd, to blind them with her brilliance.Although she found the whole show a bit childish, it was the old man’s birthday, so she decided to indulge him.
Settling into her seat, Mirabella said, “Assuming I’m playing white, my first move would be here.”
As Mirabella placed a white piece on the board, Mr. Albright swiftly captured the surrounding pieces.
Mirabella continued with her second move, then the third, and the fourth. As expected, each was swiftly countered.
The crowd was befuddled.
“Do you even know what you’re doing?”
“Is this supposed to be impressive? Anyone can make these moves. Are you messing with us?”
“It was an even game, but after your four moves, you’ve lost quite a few pieces. With your strategy, even someone clueless about chess could come here and play randomly.”
“You’re ruining a perfectly good game.”
“We thought you were skilled.”
They had expected prowess but found her first four moves easily countered.
Was this it? And she aspired to be Mr. Albright’s protege?
These were the reactions Mirabella wanted. She made her fifth move, still seemingly at a disadvantage.
Then came the sixth, the seventh, the eighth.
The grumbling in the crowd ceased, replaced by shock and awe.Only now did they begin to comprehend Mirabella’s initial five moves; each one was a trap.
She had sacrificed pieces deliberately, luring her opponent into a false sense of security. As the opponent unwittingly fell deeper into her web, she was safeguarding her other pieces and setting up further snares.
By the time her opponent realized what was happening, it was too late. Mirabella had anticipated each of their moves well in advance.
The crowd watched as Mirabella’s plan unfolded, her counterattacks swift and decisive, like a predator that had been lying in wait, suddenly pouncing on its prey with ferocity.
In less than five minutes, the outcome became clear; white had taken a commanding lead, leaving black in disarray.
Three minutes later, white emerged victorious, and everyone in the room inhaled sharply at the sight.
The once mocking crowd was now showing an expression of incredulity.
As young was she, she showcased her incredible prowess, which was utterly impressive. The guests erupted into applause, but there was still someone who felt unconvinced, questioning, “How would you fare with the black pieces?”
Surely, victory wouldn’t come as easily with the disadvantage of the black pieces.
Mirabella reset the board to the scenario depicted in her painting, this time assuming command of the black pieces. Her explanation was crisp, insightful, and within ten minutes, she had navigated the black pieces to victory.
The crowd clapped, their earlier doubts washed away by the revelation of her skill.
“This painting – it’s her own creation. Perhaps some chess master prepped her in secret. I’m not saying that I don’t believe her competence. There are a lot of masters here who haven’t thought of a solution, while as a young lady, she’s able to resolve it in two different ways. How could it be?”
He could accept it if she had come up with one, yet she was capable of winning a victory no matter which piece she employed. Was it obvious that she had already known the answer in advance?
It was Bluno voicing, the man who had arrived at the birthday bash with the sole purpose of persuading Mr. Albright to take his daughter Lindsay as a protege.
But Mirabella’s unexpected interference had rattled him. In his eyes, Lindsay was a chess talent with a string of accolades to her name. For a man like him, wealth was secondary to the prestige his daughter could gain as Mr. Albright’s chosen protege – an honor that would set her apart in high society.
“Let’s be frank, many of us came with the hope of securing that coveted spot as Mr. Albright’s protege.
Yet, here stands a young girl, outplaying us and becoming a chosen one with a pre-painted board. It’shard to accept.” spoke Vivian, Roxanne’s mother, “I think my daughter is good as well. I’d like to let my daughter to play another round with her.”
“I believe my granddaughter also has great potential.” Mabel’s grandmother chimed in, “If this Bella agrees, I’d like her to face my granddaughter in a match.”
“Since she wants to become Mr. Albright’s protege, she needs to beat all of us. But there are many people here, and if each of all starts a match with her, we won’t see the end maybe even until tomorrow.” Mr. Gardner, brimming with confidence in his granddaughter, boasted, “My granddaughter has won more chess awards than anyone here, especially the Solterra Youth Championship this year –
she’s the champion. Surely, she’s the most qualified to challenge this girl.”
Phyllis herself added, “Please give me the chance. If I win, it doesn’t mean I’ll automatically become Mr. Albright’s protege, but I’m willing to compete fairly with everyone.”
Mirabella found the whole ordeal amusing. Her chess setup, which they were scrutinizing so seriously, was a spur-of-the-moment creation – no master needed for such a straightforward game. She herself was able to make a few or even dozens of different chess problems at any time.
Eugene, seeing Bella challenged, declared with a smile, “Alright, I’ll make the call. Phyllis will represent everyone in a match against Bella.”
Phyllis beamed, thinking Mr. Albright had set his sights on her, while Mr. Gardner felt a swell of pride.
As Eugene’s old friend, his words still carried weight.
Mirabella glanced at the clock, it wasn’t even eight. Alright, let’s play along.
Phyllis, brimming with eagerness, made the first move. Mirabella responded casually, her moves effortless.Eugene could tell Bella was holding back, not even showing a tenth of her true skill against Phyllis.