Sally looked supremely pleased with herself.

She was a retired chess champion-apart from N, no one in their circle could even come close to matching her.

And Caitlin? Please.

Just a naive little upstart.

What could she possibly know about chess? She wasn't even qualified to set up the board for Sally, let alone play against her.

Did she honestly think she stood a chance of winning? Absolutely laughable.

Caitlin simply met Sally's gaze, her refined face nearly expressionless as she replied, calm and unhurried, "You're right, Miss Lowell. There's no turning back now. Ocean's Heart has been the pride of your family for generations. Are you sure you want to risk something so precious as a wager against me?"

Sally burst out laughing.

A loud, unrestrained laugh that echoed through the hall.

She just couldn't help herself.

Where did Caitlin get this ridiculous confidence? It was honestly too funny.

Sally wiped a tear from her eye and said, "Relax, Miss Gonzales. When I make a promise, I keep it. I'm no sore loser, and I never go back on my word. I hope you'll do the same."

She broke into another round of laughter.

And she wasn't alone.

All around the ballroom, guests exchanged mocking glances, some snickering openly.

"Looks like the Gonzales family is finished for good this time!"

"Where does Caitlin get her nerve? Challenging Miss Lowell like this-she must be out of her mind!"

"Maybe Keira should consider a different heir..."

"Caitlin can't even compare to Miss Templeton!"

"I'm starting to wonder if Keira picked the wrong person! Caitlin is nothing like Freya!"

Their jeers and whispers filled the air.

Ann felt a surge of satisfaction as she listened to the crowd. She shot Caitlin a venomous look, her eyes cold with malice.

Just wait, she thought.

After tonight, that little brat's reputation in the city would be ruined.

And as for her-she'd be the sole heiress of the Gonzales family.

Losing the Azure Mermaid's Tear might look like just losing a family treasure on the surface, but in reality, it would mean losing all respect for both the Richards and Gonzales families.

When that happened, Caitlin would lose everyone's favor.

The more Ann thought about it, the more excited she became.

In the end, a country bumpkin was still a country bumpkin-completely clueless.

All it took was a little goading from Sally, and Caitlin jumped right into the trap.

Did she really think she was something special?

Amanda hadn't expected the family reunion to take such a dramatic turn. She couldn't help but whisper in awe, "I never imagined Miss Lowell would end up doing us such a huge favor."

"It wasn't just luck," Ann corrected her.

"What do you mean?" Amanda turned to her daughter, confusion evident on her face.

Ann leaned in, lowering her voice. "Everything is going exactly according to my plan."

Amanda's eyes went wide. "So... Ann, you arranged all this?"

Ann nodded. "That's right, Mom. I told you-Caitlin can't even compare to me. She's not even worth one of my little fingers."

If Ann wanted Caitlin gone by midnight, Caitlin wouldn't make it to morning.

Amanda was stunned. "But Ann, how did you pull this off? Sally isn't the type to be manipulated!"

Sally was the third daughter of the Lowell family-one of the few truly clever members of their clan. Back in her chess days, her name was legendary, and after retiring, she'd helped the Lowell Group out of countless crises.

She was, by all accounts, a formidable woman.

Amanda could hardly believe that someone as sharp as Sally would one day become nothing more than a pawn in her daughter's hands.

Ann was incredible.

Pride swelled in Amanda's chest.

Ann's lips curled into a sly smile as she lowered her voice. "Mom, if you pay close attention, you'll see everyone has a weakness. I just happened to find Sally's, and that's how I made her play right into my hands."

And not only that-Sally would end up grateful to her.

After all, Ann was the one who'd told Sally why Tammie had been upset.

Amanda beamed. "You really are something else, Ann! You're even more impressive than I ever was." She could already see it-one day, both the city and Neon Spire would belong to her daughter.

Ann led Amanda to their seats, her tone gentle. "Just sit back and enjoy the show, Mom. The best is yet to come."

Amanda nodded and took her seat beside Ann.

Meanwhile, across the room, staff had already set up the chessboard.