Chapter 125
Chapter 125:
“What does one wear to meet a gaming rival?” she asked the air.
She assumed S was a brilliant, likely introverted strategist. Maybe a college student or a young engineer.
She chose a simple white sundress. It was soft, approachable. She didn’t want to scare the poor guy off. She wanted to mentor him.
She packed a small gift in her tote bag: a rare, out-of-print book on game theory.
She called for her car. The drive back to Manhattan would take two hours, giving her plenty of time to prepare.
They both headed toward the city, two master strategists walking blindly into a trap of their own making.
The meeting place was a high-end tea house in the West Village. It was quiet, minimalist, smelling of bamboo and matcha.
Elias arrived at 1:50 PM. He was nervous.
He hated being nervous. It was inefficient.
He was shown to the private tatami room he had reserved. He sat on the cushion, feeling awkward in his hoodie.
He practiced his opening lines.
“Hello, S. Impressive algorithm work.” No, too stiff.
“Hey man, nice game.” Too casual.
He checked his watch. 1:59 PM.
He heard footsteps outside the sliding paper door. Light footsteps.
The door slid open.
Elias stood up, extending a hand, a rehearsed smile on his face.
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“S, it is a pleasure to finally p>
The words died in his throat.
He wasn’t looking at a stranger.
He was looking at a woman in a white dress, backlit by the afternoon sun. Her hair was loose, framing a face he knew better than his own.
Aurora stopped in the doorway. Her hand, holding the book on game theory, froze in mid-air.
“Elias?” she blinked, confused. “What are you doing here? Did you follow me p>
Elias’s brain skipped a beat, but his face settled into a look of calm satisfaction. He had known, of course. But seeing her here, confirming the digital ghost was the flesh-and-blood woman he loved, was a different kind of victory.
“I am meeting S,” Elias said, his voice smooth despite his sore throat.
Aurora’s jaw dropped. She looked at him. She looked at the empty room. She looked at his hoodie.
“You…” she whispered. “You’re S p>
Silence. Absolute, heavy silence.
Elias looked at her delicate hands. The hands that had destroyed his defense in Sector 4.
“You…” he choked out, feigning a realization he had made weeks ago. “You are the one who sacrificed a Queen for a pawn on level 70 p>
Aurora laughed. It was a sound of pure disbelief, bordering on hysteria.