Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1691-1700

Even if Ellen had fallen in love with Jared, she could still walk out of it and think of it as sweet memories. She was all alone, like a bird free from its cage, so she could go wherever she wanted without having much thought.

Ellen was gone. She left a letter for Jared and disappeared without hesitation.

Jared was baffled as he sat on the couch and read the letter. He couldn’t believe that Ellen would leave him behind without any notice.

“Darling, who gave you permission to leave? You didn’t even say goodbye,” Jared said after reading the letter. “I will find you.” As he spoke, he raised his head, and his eyes were filled with determination. No matter where you are, I will find you. Then, I will ask about your sudden departure.

A week later, Selena was on trial and was sentenced to a jail time of a year and three months. Although Connor tried to have another lawsuit, it was rejected by the jury. Never would Selena imagine that she would go to jail for messing with Ellen. Moreover, she had to be in prison for a year and three months. When she found out about it, she almost cried her eyes out.

Oliver couldn’t do anything either. All she could do was watch Selena being taken away by the officers. When Selena was imprisoned, Ellen didn’t show herself, and Olivia loathed her for this. Truthfully, all Ellen had to do was talk to Jared, and she could bail Selena out of jail. However, she didn’t. Hence, Oliver thought Ellen was joyful when she saw how miserable they were.

Even Connor didn’t realize how ruthless Ellen would be. No matter how he looked for her, he couldn’t find her. At that moment, he decided to cut ties with her and denied her as their relative.

However, none of them knew that there was another person as miserable as them. That person was Jared. For the past seven days consecutively, he couldn’t find any traces of her, no matter what he did.

Just like that, Ellen was gone. However, Jared remembered that she had written such words in the letter. ‘Please don’t come and look for me. I am going to pursue my dreams. I wish you good luck, Jared.’

What exactly is her dream? Jared thought. At this moment, realization struck him when he knew nothing about Ellen. When he read her letter, he could tell she was determined to seek freedom. If he were to look for her, he would have gotten in her way. Although Jared was reluctant to let her go, he still decided to do so. He hoped that they would meet again after she had pursued her dreams. He would wait for her as long as he could.

However, questions still filled in his head. Where exactly did she go? What is her dream?

In the meantime, in Brook’s hometown, Ellen lived in a place known as The Home of Chess. It was a tourist destination where the four seasons were warm. Ellen bought a house and officially became a member of the Chess Academy. She wanted to elevate herself and find what she truly desired. Thus, she stayed there for one and a half years. Sometimes, she would see Jared on the news, but she had never wanted to look for him. After all, she felt peace when facing chess pieces.

A year later, Ellen participated in the chess league that was held in the city. Then, she took part in open tournaments and won many matches. After that, she was ranked as a FIDE Master and was titled the most beautiful chess player by the local judges.

However, she was only famous in the city and not nationwide. Since Ellen had her ways of earning money, she didn’t have to worry about cash. Plus, she was a pro when it came to saving money. Thus, her life went on smoothly. She was doing what she liked and found what she truly wanted. Soon, it would be her 25th birthday. Compared to last year, she had changed a lot. Now, she was at peace, had something she was proud of, and was famous.

“Good luck, Ellen. We have signed you up for the world chess tournament. You, Jay, and Austin will be our representatives. We hope you can bring victory to us.”

“After all, you are the apprentice of Mr. Linton, the national champion. You can do it. When that time comes, you will show the world what you are capable of and become a chess star.”

Ellen nodded and smiled. “I’ll try my best.”

Recently, the media had been reporting that Lockwood Village had become an important development area of Averna. The old houses were gone and were turned into skyscrapers. There were also costly residential areas and industries. Lockwood Village had turned into a new landmark.

On the balcony of a newly furnished apartment, a tall figure was standing by the window. He was looking outside and seemed to be deep in thought.

“It’s getting late, President Jared. You should head home.” Stanley stood behind him and felt his legs getting sore from standing too long.

They were at one of the residential areas that the Presgrave Group had built. Jared had reserved one of the penthouses and furnished it himself. While furnishing, he chose everything that a woman needed. Thus, it was obvious that he had prepared this place for a woman, and Stanley knew who it was. However, he wondered if Ellen would still be back. One and a half years had passed, but Jared was still love-struck with Ellen. Initially, he had many ways to find out where she was, but he didn’t do so. He waited patiently as time passed and refused any women who came to him. It went to the point that even Anastasia, who was abroad, had personally asked about his condition. However, Jared was always alone. Now that Jared was going to be twenty-eight years old, even Stanley was worried about his life.

“Do you think she will be back, Stanley?” Jared asked while lowering his eyes.

“I will search everywhere and bring her back as long as you are willing to,” replied Stanley.

“What if she doesn’t love me?” Jared sighed.

Stanley was also clueless about women. I’m sure every woman loves Jared. After all, he is such a perfect and wealthy man! Although… Miss Reiss is an exception. I guess that makes her different from the other girls who are crazy for Jared.

Thinking about it, Stanley felt that Ellen might have left due to how outstanding Jared was. Ellen must have felt insecure. Hence, he said, “Don’t think of such things, President Jared. I’m sure she loves you.”

“I hope so! I have prepared this house for her. It’s where her old mansion used to be. I really wish that she will return and accept this gift.” Jared sighed.

Stanley knew what he was talking about. In the past, no one wanted to build any residential area in Lockwood Village, but Jared had made this place into a residential area just because he wanted to keep a place for Ellen.

…

The world chess tournament would be held in Averna by next Friday, and many media outlets were paying attention to it. A black van stopped by a hotel, and the door was opened from the inside. Soon, a middle-aged man, an old man, and a girl exited the car. The girl wore a black down jacket and took a deep breath, smiling when she caught the whiff of the familiar scent.

“This is your hometown, Ellie. Do you feel happy to be back?” Jay asked.

“Yes. It’s been a year and a half since I last visited here,” Ellen replied.

“Where is your house at?” Austin asked curiously.

What came to Ellen’s mind first was the old manor where her Grandma used to live. That place used to be her home, but now it was gone.

“My old house was demolished, so I don’t really have a home here.” Ellen smiled.

Afterward, they entered the hotel and rested to prepare for the tournament.

After Ellen had unpacked her stuff, she called a cab and went to the old manor.

Everyone would feel safe and happy when they went to their hometown, even if it had changed.

Ellen got out of the cab and tugged on her hat. Windy winter days were the worst, and her ears were freezing. Standing by a lamppost, she raised her head and looked where her grandma used to live. However, the place had turned into a residential area. Rumors had it that the house price was up to thirty million.

Looking at the building, Ellen sighed. She knew she had wishful thinking to think that she could recall the past by coming. However, New Town had already changed into a landmark with commercial value.

At this moment, a black Rolls-Royce drove past her. A figure was sitting in the back of the car with his eyes closed. As the light shone on his handsome face, Ellen took a glance and felt her heart skip a beat. Looking at the car, she thought, Am I seeing things? Why did I think he looked a lot like Jared? It must have been my imagination! After all, how could I have encountered him in such a big city?

Then, she returned to the hotel and spent a whole week there. Soon, the day of the tournament arrived. It went on for three days, and chess players from all over the world gathered, challenging each other. Besides filming the chess game, the media would also do a close-up of the players. One of the players shocked them as they had never imagined that there would be a young girl in the final round.

The girl was ordinary. She wore a black turtleneck, and her hair was tied into a ponytail. As some of her bangs fell, they highlighted the perfect curves of her cheeks. Although she wore black-framed glasses, she still looked gorgeous. The reporters were shocked to see such a beautiful woman in the tournament’s final round. However, the woman was calm and composed as she looked at the chessboard.

Among the audience, Brook clasped his hands in excitement. He had been accompanying Ellen, hoping she would win the championship for his sake.

Ellen’s opponent was a middle-aged man. He was calm and experienced, but his eyes were filled with disdain as he looked at her, seemingly to have underestimated her. However, Ellen wasn’t fazed for one bit and didn’t even look at him. All she did was stared at the black and white chess pieces. The commentator had explained the chess game thoroughly, but no one was sure who would win since a slight change in the chess would make a significant twist.

Looking at the chessboard on the big screen, Brook suddenly smiled. He knew that Ellen had mastered his ultimate move.

As expected, the man lost due to underestimation and she narrowly won.

With that, the champion of this year’s tournament was born.

“Oh my god! The champion of this year’s tournament is a young girl. Who exactly is she? Her name is Ellen Reiss. The rookies in this year’s chess game sure have many surprises.”

Ellen breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Brook. She smiled when she saw him, knowing she did not disappoint him.

At this moment, the camera followed Ellen’s gaze and caught Brook. Immediately, the commentator was shocked. “She is the apprentice of our former champion! No wonder she is so skillful.”

The middle-aged man who lost was furious. He threw the chess pieces on the board and cussed toward Ellen before leaving. Then, Ellen got up and returned to the lounge. Fifteen minutes later, she would be on stage and became this year’s youngest chess champion.

…

On the other hand, at the Aguirre Residence. Connor had just finished lunch and was switching the TV channels with the remote control. Then, he saw the live stream of the chess tournament. Subconsciously, he stopped. In the meantime, the live stream was showing the award ceremony. Connor sipped his tea when the host said excitedly, “Next up, let us welcome the champion of this year’s chess tournament.”

The camera turned toward a figure while the host continued. “This is the champion of this year’s tournament. She is a young chess player who is only twenty-five years old. She is a rookie in chess, and her name is Ellen Reiss. A round of applause for Miss Reiss.”

Pfft! Connor spat out his tea as he stared at Ellen intently, watching her take the trophy. He never expected that Ellen, whom he had been searching for, would be standing on the stage as a chess champion.

Looking at her, Connor was beyond frustrated. After all, there was no use in finding her now when Selena would be getting out of jail. Her life was ruined, and this case would forever taint her.

At this moment, Olivia entered the house. Seeing Connor staring at the TV with a surprised look, she asked, “What are you looking at? Come and see the clothes I bought for Lena. When she comes home, she can wear the new clothes.”

“Come and look at this girl, Oli,” said Connor as he pointed toward the TV screen.

Olivia wasn’t a fan of watching celebrities. When she heard Connor’s words and saw that he was pointing at the TV screen, she subconsciously looked over. In the meantime, Ellen’s face was on the screen. The cameraman took a close-up of her, making her look even prettier on screen.

“This… Is this Ellen?” Olivia was dumbfounded. Why is she on TV and being awarded? As she thought, she exclaimed, “What is she being awarded?” Olivia couldn’t believe that Ellen had become an outstanding woman and was on TV. Moreover, she was awarded on national TV.

“It is the national chess championship.” Connor sighed. Never would he have thought that things would turn out this way. He used to think that Ellen couldn’t do anything and was just an ordinary girl. However, he didn’t expect her to be talented after one and a half years had passed.

“S-She must have bribed them! There is no way she can become a chess champion! If not, her opponent must have thrown the game. Thus, what is so special about an award that can be obtained by bribing?” Olivia uttered in disdain.

Hearing her words, Connor recalled that she was with Jared. Maybe the Presgrave Family had given her some benefits. They let her become a chess champion so she will have a better future. Perhaps Oli is right.

“This b*tch! How dare she live a great life and stand on the stage with spotlights on her when she let Lena be in prison for a year! She is ruthless!” Olivia was convinced that the lady was a nobody who couldn’t achieve anything.

Then, she refused to look at the TV anymore and went to do the laundry. However, Connor sat back and hit replay, rewinding the stream. When he saw Ellen’s first match, he sat down and observed the process. Connor was a chess lover himself, and he would always play chess by the park. When he finished watching Ellen’s first match, he was shocked. Then, he quickly forwarded the stream to the last

round. As he watched the game, he knew what Olivia said was wrong. Ellen didn’t win the match by bribing. In fact, she won fair and square.

At that moment, the host mentioned Ellen’s mentor—Brook. He was the world champion who had defeated most of the top-tier players. However, he stopped competing after a tragedy happened to his family, followed by depression.

It’s quite a surprise that he is Ellen’s mentor. No wonder Ellen is skillful, he thought.

When Olivia entered the room and saw Connor was still looking at Ellen, she was angry. “Why are you still watching? What is there to look at?”

Hearing her words, Connor turned off the TV. At the same time, he didn’t tell Olivia that Ellen had won the championship with her own skill. After all, he didn’t want his wife to be even angrier. At this moment, his phone rang. When he took out his phone and saw who the caller was, he galloped to the balcony and answered it.

The caller was his side chick, Aida. For the past year, she treated him like trash and threatened him to give her money by using his son. If Connor refused to give her money, she would not allow him to visit his son. Luckily for him, Olivia had not known about Connor’s affair yet. Otherwise, life would be harder for him. The most important right now was welcoming Selena, who would get out of prison in three days.

…

After the award ceremony, Ellen returned to the hotel with the others. Everyone was thrilled because they had returned with fruitful results.

When they had dinner together, they discussed whether they should stay and have fun in Averna before going back. Since Brook had a place he could stay for the long term, he asked Ellen, “Do you

want to stay here, Ellie? You have already achieved your goal. Next, it’s time for you to find someone and start a family.”

“I still haven’t thought about it yet, Mr. Linton.” Ellen smiled. It went without saying that she was excited because winning the championship was the highlight of her life.

At that moment, the chairman of the team got a phone call. Then, he quickly said to Brook and Ellen in excitement, “Mr. Linton, Ellie, the TV station just called and wanted to invite you guys for an interview.”

When Ellen heard his words, she was shocked. Brook looked at her and asked, “Do you want to go, Ellie?”

“I…” Ellen didn’t know. She didn’t mind the cameras when she played chess. However, she would be nervous if she was being interviewed live.

“Just go! Take the opportunity and be famous when you are still young!” one of them suggested.

“Yeah! What are you afraid of, Ellie? You are even more beautiful than most celebrities.”

In the end, Ellen agreed to it. Since the staff from the TV station kept urging them, she and Brook would be interviewed on live TV that Friday.

…

At the secretary department of Presgrave Group, Stanley had finally finished his job. He decided to take a break and watched his favorite show—the chess tournament held at Averna. He had wanted to watch it but didn’t have the spare time since he had been busy the past few days. Now, he had finished his job and was ready to enjoy himself. When he opened the VOD and saw the players’ names, he saw a person called Ellen. Before seeing the actual player, Stanley thought it was someone with the same name as Ellen. Then, he clicked on Ellen’s match.

As he clicked on the edited video, the players were seated while the cameraman gave them a close-up. At that moment, Stanley almost jumped out of his chair in shock when he saw the woman. Although the woman wore glasses, Stanley could still recognize it was Ellen!

Oh god! This is not a coincidence! She is actually Ellen! Stanley was thrilled as he thought about it. Then, he took out his phone and dialed Jared’s number, wanting to tell him about the news.

“Hello.” A tired voice sounded from the other end of the phone.

Stanley decided to surprise him. After all, it wouldn’t be much fun if he directly told Jared that Ellen had taken part in the chess tournament. He wanted Jared to see it for himself!

“President Jared, I have some great news to tell you. Go and watch the chess tournament that was held in Averna when you have the time. Maybe you will find the person you have always been looking for.”

“Who is it?”

“I’ll keep it a secret. Find out for yourself!” Stanley chuckled and hung up the phone. Although he was dying to spill the beans, he still suppressed the urge.

After Jared hung up the phone, Stanley texted and urged him. ‘You must go and take a look!’ he wrote.

Jared sat at the back of the car. After he had ended the call with Stanley, he had another business call. It was a discussion about a recent investment proposal. Soon, Jared went back to work. When he finally returned home, it was already 9.00PM. As soon as he entered the living room, he took off his suit, revealing a dark shirt that showed his perfect figure. Then, he walked toward the refrigerator and took out a glass of ice before retrieving a bottle of whiskey, after which he poured himself a drink. After that, he returned to the sofa and drank some of it before closing his eyes tiredly.

Suddenly, Stanley’s words flashed across his mind. Then, he took the remote control and turned on the TV.

When the TV showed the special highlight from the chess tournament, Jared scrolled through it with curiosity. Suddenly, he seemed to have seen something. His eyes widened as he stared at a name.

Ellen? Why is her name on the list? Jared knew there was no mistake. It was Ellen’s name.

At that moment, he returned to his senses and quickly clicked on her name to rewatch her match. When the screen switched scenes, Ellen’s beautiful face unfolded right before his eyes. Looking at her, he stood up in bewilderment. He couldn’t believe he would find Ellen, the woman who had disappeared for one and a half years, this way.

Ellen had changed a lot. Jared could tell that she was more mature. At the match, she wasn’t wearing anything classy, sporting a plain turtleneck, looking sharp. When the camera zoomed in on her, she didn’t cower away, looking like a porcelain doll.

Immediately, Jared grabbed his phone and dialed Stanley’s number.

“Stanley.”

“Yes, Mr. Presgrave.”

“How did you find her?”

“It looks like you have watched it. Except for work, I love to play chess. Hence, I knew a chess tournament would be right around the corner. Since I have nothing much to do, I watched the video and saw Miss Reiss.”

“Is… Is she still in Averna? Which hotel is she at?” Jared suppressed the excitement in his voice.

“Are you going to see her tonight, Mr. Presgrave? It’s already 10.00PM, though. Why don’t we meet her tomorrow morning?” Stanley suggested.

“Do you think I can wait until tomorrow? I want to know which hotel she stays in within ten minutes.” Jared wouldn’t give him the time to slack off.

Hearing his words, Stanley shook his head and smiled. Fortunately, he had done some research beforehand and replied, “I have already checked that. I’ll send the address to you right away. I’m sure you know Miss Reiss is the champion, right?”

“What?”

“Don’t you know about it?”

“Really?”

“Yes. I just watched her last match. It was amazing. She is truly gifted as a chess player.”

When Jared heard his words, he felt a pang in his chest. Does that mean more men will like her? Will she be popular around people? A sudden rush of jealousy surged toward his heart as he thought about the possibilities. RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

After a while, Stanley hung up the phone and sent him the address, including Ellen’s room number. Immediately, Jared grabbed his coat and quickly rushed to the garage. He didn’t want to wait any longer. At that moment, all he wanted to do now was to find her and ask about her sudden departure. That was enough to make him look for her!

As the lamppost shone its light, a sports car dashed through the road as fast as lightning.

On the other hand, at the hotel, Ellen had taken a bath and was sitting on the couch, looking at the trophy on the table. Looking at it, she thought about a familiar face. She wanted to see Jared but had

no reason to do so. After all, he had never come looking for her when she left without saying anything for an entire year. That meant that they were over.

Thinking about it, she turned her head to look outside the window. The neon lights were shining brightly. Is there a woman beside him now? I wonder if she’s the same woman that I heard of before I left.

At this moment, the doorbell rang. Ellen believed it was the hotel staff since she had ordered a plate of fruits. Thus, she stood up and opened the door without much thought. However, it wasn’t the hotel staff who stood before her, but a man who was panting. He was leaning against the doorframe, seemingly out of breath.

When Ellen saw who he was, her pupils constricted. You. It’s you. In that split second, the duo looked at each other without saying a word.

After Jared had got a hold of his breath, he pointed into her room and asked, “Can I come in?”

“Of course.” Ellen nodded hastily.

Then, Jared entered the room while Ellen closed the door and followed suit. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around abruptly, which made her bump into him. At that moment, she frantically backed away and tripped over the carpet.

“Ah!” Ellen fell backward and was going to hit her head when Jared quickly pulled her. Immediately, their bodies were pressed close to each other. Ellen was shocked by the sudden outcome. Her face was pale, and she opened her lips to say something. At that moment, Jared cupped her cheeks and kissed her. In that split second, Ellen was dumbfounded. She stood there stiffly, allowing him to kiss her. After Jared pulled away, her pale face was flushed.

Jared cupped her cheeks as he pressed his forehead against hers. “How rude of you. You didn’t even inform me that you came back,” he said hoarsely.

Ellen blinked and explained awkwardly, “I’m here to participate in the tournament. I’m not here on a trip.”

“Don’t you want to share with me after you have won the championship?”

“I was afraid that you might be busy.” Ellen pursed her lips.

“Even if I’m busy, I can still find the time to celebrate with you,” Jared said exasperatedly. He could tell that she was making up an excuse, and the real reason was that she didn’t want to see him.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door. It must be the hotel staff, Ellen thought. Then, she said to Jared, “I’ll go and get the fruit.” After that, she opened the door and saw a young, elegant man standing there. He was Hendrix O’rion, one of the chess players. Hendrix heard that Ellen was also staying at this hotel. Since he would be leaving by tomorrow, he wanted to greet her and talk about chess. Moreover, he liked her.

“Hi!” Hendrix waved at her.

“Hello.” Ellen smiled.

“I’m sorry to bother you at this hour, Miss Reiss. I really admire you and wish that we could play together sometime later. Is it okay if I get your number?” asked Hendrix.

Before Ellen could say anything, a cold male voice replied, “No.”

When Hendrix heard the voice, he was startled. When he saw a handsome man come out of the room, he asked curiously, “Miss Reiss, who is this man?”

“I’m her boyfriend,” Jared announced without hesitation.

Ellen was speechless.

On the other hand, Hendrix was disappointed. I had asked her teammates, and none said she had a boyfriend. What’s going on?

“We will meet again at the next match, Mr. O’rion,” Ellen said politely.

“I see. I’ll take my leave now.” Hendrix left awkwardly.

As soon as the door was closed, Ellen heard Jared say sulkily. “As expected. You have more admirers after a year!”

Hearing his words, Ellen felt funny and looked at him. “What about you? I’m sure your admirers are more than mine, right?”

Jared didn’t answer her. No matter what, he was upset when he saw that other men were looking for Ellen. He even wondered if she would have invited Hendrix into her room and bonded their relationship if he hadn’t come.

“Since you are back now, are you going to leave again?” As Jared spoke, he walked over to the trophy. When he saw it, he was happy for her. After all, he had never expected her to be able to bag a trophy.

“I’m not planning to leave anytime soon. I still have a television interview to attend,” Ellen replied truthfully.

“It looks like you were pursuing your dream in the past year.” Jared gave her a look of appraisal.

“Yes, chess is indeed my dream. I found what I was looking for.” Ellen nodded.

“That’s good. Otherwise, I won’t be able to accept the fact that you will be leaving me again.” Jared looked at her with a darkened gaze. His eyes were filled with upset, sadness, and resignation.

“I’m sorry.” Ellen apologized. She knew he was hurt by the way she bid goodbye.

“It’s fine. I’m not a petty person. I’ll forgive you, but on one condition. My next ten meals are on you.”

“Ten meals?” Ellen blinked in confusion.

“Don’t worry. You can take me to a cheap restaurant. I won’t make you go bankrupt,” replied Jared.

“It’s fine if you want that, but… won’t your girlfriend be upset about it?” asked Ellen as she bit her lip. He must be dating that girl whom he hugged at his office! Ellen thought.

“Girlfriend?” Jared squinted his eyes and thought, When did I ever have a girlfriend?

Hearing his question, Ellen nodded her head seriously.

“Which one?” Jared raised his eyebrow and asked.

Ellen’s eyes widened when she heard his words. “How many girlfriends do you have?”

“Not much. I only have one.” As Jared spoke, he pointed at her and said, “That’s you.”

At that moment, Ellen’s mind went blank. Wait for a second. Does that mean that the woman he hugged isn’t his girlfriend? No, I can’t let him know about this. Otherwise, he will give me a scolding! I would rather treat him to ten meals! Thinking about it, she said, “Ten meals, right? No problem!” She was quick to respond.

“This room is too cramped. I’m going to tell them to give you a better room,” Jared suggested, wishing she would stay in a comfier place.

“It’s fine. I think this is just perfect. Plus, it’s getting late. Why don’t you go home and take a rest?” Ellen said.

Jared pointed to her ceiling and replied, “I’m staying on the top floor. Just call me if anything happens.”

“Okay.” Ellen nodded and didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.

They had not seen each other for more than a year! Thus, they were not as close as they used to be.

However, Jared didn’t want to leave. At that moment, he took out his phone and took a picture of Ellen’s trophy. After that, he took another selfie while smiling as he held the trophy. His handsome face matched the golden trophy well!

Looking at his actions, Ellen was shocked. After all, even she was way past the age of taking cute selfies.

After taking the selfie, Jared uploaded it to his social media. ‘Guess who the owner of the trophy is? Bingo. It is my girlfriend’s,’ he wrote.

Just like that, he announced his relationship with Ellen. Plus, the trophy was titled the champion of this year’s chess tournament. Hence, anyone would be able to know who the winner of the tournament was as long as they searched for it.

“What did you post?” Ellen asked in curiosity.

When Jared heard her words, he immediately closed his phone and put it in his pocket. “Nothing. I’ll be going now. Get some rest!”

When he arrived at the door, he turned around and reminded her. “Don’t open the door for any men tonight.”

Ellen was speechless and thought that he was such a dominant man.

After Jared had left Ellen’s room, he breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the door. His eyes were like a predator had its eyes on its prey. I won’t let her escape again, he thought. In the meantime, Ellen was also relieved as she had a smile on her lips. For unknown reasons, she felt that it was easier for her to face him, and it felt great.

…

At 8.00AM, the Aguirres couple were waiting by the prison gate. After some time, Selena carried her luggage under the escort of a prison guard. She seemed to have lost her youthfulness and looked glum.

“Now that you are out here, get a new life, Selena. I hope you won’t be back again. Good luck!” After the guard finished his words, he closed the door.

When Olivia saw Selena, tears rolled down her eyes, and she rushed over to hug her. “Oh, Selena, my sweetheart. My baby girl. You are finally out of there.”

Selena threw her luggage to the ground and cried miserably. “I’m so tired of it, Mom. I was struggling!” She complained about her prison life. “I’m hungry and cold every day. The other inmates even hit me and toyed with me. I’m so done with it.”

“Where did they hit you? Let me take a look at it,” Olivia said hastily.

Selena showed her arm to Olivia, revealing a bruise, indicating that she was severely beaten. Looking at the bruise, Olivia was heartbroken. “Let’s go home, Lena. You don’t have to go through this anymore.”

Connor was also distressed when he saw Selena’s condition. It’s good that she had finally ended her days in prison. I’ll make sure that she does well in the future. Thinking about it, Connor told her, “Look past the future and live a brand new life, Lena.”

When Selena heard his voice, she looked at him. Truthfully, she hated him. After all, not only did he cheat on Olivia, but he was also the reason why she was in jail. If he could find Ellen, she wouldn’t be in jail. As Selena thought about it, she asked hoarsely, “Dad! Did you find Ellen? Where is she?”

“You just came out of jail, Lena. Don’t try to do anything stupid. We have already cut ties with her. Why are you still looking for her?”

“She is the reason I’m in jail. Who does she think she is to make me pay such a huge price? I hate her. I will never forgive her.” Selena screamed hysterically.

Olivia would have encouraged Selena to take her revenge if it was the past. However, Ellen was not the same as before. Olivia knew that she was not someone to be messed with anymore. After all, she had just won the championship in chess, which meant she had strong backing. Thus, she didn’t want her daughter to risk it.

“Come on, Lena. Let’s go home,” Olivia pleaded, left with no choice.

Selena could endure the days when being in jail because there was a strong emotion supporting her. It was the hatred toward Ellen. Hence, she would never be able to forgive Ellen. No matter what, she would find Ellen, even if everyone stopped her.

…

When Ellen woke up the next morning, her phone buzzed with the daily news, as Ellen liked reading the news. Suddenly, she was intrigued by the title.

‘Shocking News! President Jared Had Publicly Announced His Love Life on Social Media!’

Immediately, Ellen clicked into the news. When she saw the article, her eyes widened in disbelief. She saw Jared’s social media had a selfie of him with a trophy, which was hers. Moreover, he wrote that she was his girlfriend.

Is this why he wouldn’t let me see what he posted yesterday? Why didn’t he inform me about it?

Soon, the media reported on this matter. Initially, everyone had their eyes on Ellen because she was the chess champion. Now that Jared had made such huge news, her name was all over the internet. There were many videos of her during the tournament, and the netizens were discussing her.

‘She is gorgeous! She looks so friendly!’

‘Good Lord! How can she be so talented? I love her looks. She is a natural beauty.’

‘She looks like a celebrity. Not only is she good-looking, but she is also talented.’

‘A champion and a wealthy man. They seem like the perfect couple!’

‘I wish them good luck. With how good-looking they are, I can’t wait to see what their baby looks like.’

‘I hope they get married soon!’

As the netizens complimented Ellen, she didn’t know anything. At this moment, she was in the hotel’s meeting room. The news reporter had arrived and met them beforehand, preparing some questions they would be asking. One of the staff was a gossiper. When she saw that Ellen was easygoing, she mustered up the courage and whispered in her ear, “Miss Reiss, can I ask when your wedding with President Presgrave is?”

Hearing her words, Ellen blinked and didn’t know what to say. Thus, she smiled and replied, “We still haven’t talked about it.”

At this moment, the interviewer asked again, “Miss Reiss, may I know in advance if we can mention your love life? I’m sure your fans and the audience are dying to know.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m uncomfortable about bringing up my personal matters.” Ellen shook her head politely.

“Okay. I understand.”

During break time, the hotel staff served them premium tea and biscuits. The reporters were happy, but they didn’t order it! At that moment, Ellen was thirsty. Hence, she grabbed one of the drinks and drank it while saying to the assistant, “Thanks for the high tea.”

“Aren’t you the one who ordered it, Miss Reiss?”

“Huh? It’s not me.” Ellen shook her head in surprise.

Coincidentally, the waiter heard their conversation. Then, he walked over with a smile. “It’s your boyfriend who arranged this, Miss Reiss.”

Since Ellen was famous, the hotel staff recognized her. Only then did they know that she, the chess champion, had stayed in their hotel, and her boyfriend, Jared, was also staying in the presidential suite!

When the others heard the waiter’s words, they were delighted. No one had expected that they would have a delicious high tea because of Ellen.

“I heard that it costs almost ten thousand for this! President Jared must have spent lots of money because of us.”

“Thank you, Miss Reiss.”

“Please help us thank the president.”

Great. Now I’m stuck with Jared, thought Ellen as she smiled at the others.

…

After Selena had returned home, Connor gave her a new phone. During the days she was in prison, she couldn’t even sleep without having nightmares, not to mention being able to use her phone. Those days, she lived in fear and was exhausted. It was as if she was being disconnected from the whole world.

As soon as she got her phone, she played with it endlessly. She was playing games and watching videos all day.

Olivia also gave her ten thousand, which she had saved, as allowance. After Selena was all dressed up, she took the money and went out.

As she entered a coffee shop, insecurities filled her eyes. After all, she was someone who had been in prison. Looking at those pretty girls, she was jealous that they were innocent. Unlike them, the criminal record would forever haunt her.

“Oh my god! Look! It’s the latest news about Ellen. She is going to have an interview.”

A few girls were talking loudly in front of Selena. When Selena heard Ellen’s name, she was startled and thought it was a celebrity with the same name.

After all, she couldn’t figure out why they were excited when Ellen’s name was mentioned.

“I love the way she plays chess. She looks sexy and put together!”

“I wonder if she will become a celebrity. I hope she can become an actress!”

“There is no way she will be an actress! After all, her reputation and her boyfriend’s status are enough for her to live happily as a rich woman.”

As Selena listened to their conversation, she scrolled through some videos. Suddenly, her pupils constricted, and she stopped scrolling when a beautiful woman appeared on her screen. In that split second, Selena knew who she was. Ellen?

After she had read the article, she was shocked to see that Ellen was the chess champion.

This must be a fraud! How can she be so talented? Did Ellen pretend to be a champion when I was in prison?

As she thought about it, she clicked on the person’s profile and saw Ellen in many of the person’s videos. There were even videos of her in the chess tournament. Looking at it, Selena noticed millions of views and over three million comments on the video. All of them were praising Ellen.

Seeing that the netizens were praising Ellen, Selena was dumbstruck.

Is Ellen pretending to become a champion that is loved by all? Soon, she saw Jared’s announcement and his selfie with Ellen’s trophy.

At that moment, she felt a pang in her heart. She was filled with hatred! She wished she could ruin everything Ellen had. After all, Ellen’s life was what she wanted but couldn’t achieve.

Ellen had become the winner, while she lost miserably.