Chapter 4 CHECK MATE

EROD'S POV

People always assume that being the son of Mr. Trenton- the mighty, successful businessman- means I have everything figured out. That my life is easy, predictable, laid out like a neat business plan waiting for me to sign at the bottom. But they don't see the pressure. They don't hear the early morning lectures about "legacy" and "duty." They don't feel the suffocation of carrying a name that demands perfection.

One of the things my father wants more than anything is for me to take over the family business. It's all he ever talks about. That's why I'm buried in schoolwork, extra lessons, endless meetings with tutors- because "there's no room for failure, son." And God forbid he ever finds out about what's really going on in my life.

Especially Elena.

Elena, the girl who walks around like she owns the school, like the world owes her something. The girl who never listens, never respects anyone- not even her own parents. To my father, someone like her is the epitome of distraction. He's the kind of man who thinks love- or anything that looks like it- makes you weak.

One day he said, "Son, immediately after graduation, you start work."

I froze.

Silent.

I knew my father- commands weren't up for debate.

But inside, I was screaming.

Why couldn't I make choices by myself?

Why couldn't I choose my path?

Why was I still being treated like a child?

Every night I studied till my eyes burned.

The pressure was crushing.

I had to speak.

I ran out as he stepped toward his car.

"Dad," I called.

He turned, "Son, what happened?"

My courage vanished.

Words stuck in my throat.

I just stared.

He softened. "Do you need anything for school?"

I nodded, swallowing my voice.

My dreams felt smaller than ever.

If he knew I was even associating with her, he'd lose his mind. But what he doesn't know is that I'm not with Elena.

I'm with Judith.

Or at least, I was.

Judith and I had something real. Something delicate, something we protected like a fragile flame in the wind. We agreed to keep it secret. Our homes weren't safe places for that kind of love. Her parents treat her like she's invisible- unless they need something cleaned or someone to yell at. And my father? He doesn't even see me. Not really. Only Erod the successor, Erod the future CEO- not Erod the boy who's just trying to feel something other than pressure for once in his life.

Judith was my escape. Her smile, her voice- it all made me feel like maybe I could have something that's mine. Something untouched by my father's expectations or the image I have to uphold. But of course, nothing stays hidden forever. Especially not with someone like Elena watching.

I don't know how she found out. One minute, Judith and I were careful. We had secret notes, quiet corners, late-night chats when the house was asleep. And then suddenly, Elena had a picture. A picture of us. Kissing. And the worst part? It wasn't even a kiss I asked for.

It was her.

That day, I was leaving the library. Elena showed up out of nowhere, all charm and fake sweetness. She said she just wanted to talk. I didn't trust it- there was something in her eyes, something sharp. And then, before I knew what was happening, she leaned in and kissed me. I pushed her away, told her it wasn't okay. But someone- maybe her friend, maybe Elena herself- snapped the picture in that split second. Just enough to ruin everything.

Now, she's using it against me.

"If you don't break up with Judith and start dating me," she said, smiling like the devil, "I'll send this picture to your father. Let's see how he likes seeing his perfect son with a girl behind his back."

I remember feeling like the ground had opened beneath me. Elena knows exactly how to strike where it hurts. She doesn't care about me- she just wants control. Power. And she knows how much I stand to lose if that photo gets out.

So now, I'm trapped.

I tried talking to Judith. I begged her to listen, to let me explain. But when she saw me the next day, all she could say was, "I trusted you, Erod." Then she walked away, tears in her eyes. And that destroyed me more than anything Elena could ever do.

She thinks I betrayed her. And how could she not? From her perspective, I kissed Elena and then ghosted her without a word. I look like the bad guy. But I'm not. I'm just... stuck.

My father's shadow looms over every decision I make. If he sees that picture, it's over. The lectures, the punishments, the shame- he'll make my life unbearable. He might even pull me out of school. Judith's parents already treat her like she's nothing. If Elena starts spreading rumors, starts targeting her the way she always does- it'll be hell for her too.

I wanted to protect her. That's why I didn't fight harder to explain. I thought, maybe if I just take the hit, she'll be safe. But I didn't think about how much it would hurt her. I didn't think about how silence would feel like abandonment.

And now, I don't know what to do.

Sometimes I sit at my desk, staring at the business textbooks piled in front of me, wondering if this is it. If this is all my life is going to be- faking smiles, following orders, breaking hearts to keep secrets. I wonder if there's a version of me somewhere else, in another life, who's free to love who he wants without fear.

I miss Judith.

I miss how she used to look at me like I wasn't just Mr. Trenton's son, but someone who mattered. Someone worth loving.

But all of that is gone now. All because Elena wanted to play a game- and I was the pawn she chose to move first.

And the worst part?

The game isn't over yet.