The Mafia Queen's Gambit

In the arena, I fought fiercely against my opponent and finally claimed the honor of ten consecutive victories.

I turned around and heard my fiancé's beloved clinging to his arm, mocking me. "How could a crude, low-class woman like her ever be worthy of you?"

I instinctively looked at Roderick Hudson, expecting him to sharply rebuke her insolence.

But the man who had been gentle and caring toward me just yesterday fondly tousled her hair and chuckled softly. "Are you jealous? Relax, you're the only one in my heart."

Watching them flirt so brazenly, my heart grew colder by the second.

Crude and low-class?

I sneered and dialed my father, the mafia boss. "Dad, put the engagement on hold. I want a new match."

...

The crowd slammed the iron bars, shouting wildly. "Break her arm!" The tin roof trembled faintly under the roar of their voices.

My right fist grazed my opponent's brow, slamming into the ropes.

The referee leaned in, counting down. By "seven," the other fighter struggled but couldn't rise.

"You won!" My coach's furrowed brow relaxed instantly as he rushed onto the stage, beaming with pride as we celebrated the tenth victory together.

From the second-floor stands, Erica Fuller gripped Roderick's arm, her eyes locked on me, surrounded by the cheering crowd. "Look at her, all sweaty and reeking, with blood smeared on her gloves."

Her voice dripped with venom as she leaned closer to his ear. "How could a woman like that ever deserve you? Why did your parents' will insist you marry some brute who only knows how to throw punches?"

Roderick's gaze dropped, his fingers brushing her delicate wrist as a soft chuckle escaped his throat. "Are you jealous?"

The arena erupted in cheers, but he tilted his head, his fingertips lifting Erica's chin. "You're the only one in my heart. All that attention I gave her was just to get the elders to hand over more control of the company."

Erica relaxed her grip, leaning into his embrace.

Her sidelong glance caught me pulling off my mouthguard to drink water, and her lips curled into a harsher sneer. "It just infuriates me. She's not even fit to polish your shoes."

"Yeah." Roderick's response was curt as he reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Don't worry. Once this match is over, I'll find a way to make her leave on her own."

As they schemed to break off the engagement, I had already packed my things and headed straight to Molly Robin's house.

Since I was three, relentless training had tormented me day and night.

Only fighting in the ring and Molly's kindness brought any warmth to my icy heart.

"My dear, you're hurt again?" Molly saw the bruise on my lip and gently touched my face, her eyes full of concern.

When I was a child, overwhelmed and breaking down, I would hide in the bushes behind the villa and cry.

Molly, a neighborhood cleaner, always spotted me weeping, offering a big hug and slipping me a piece of candy.

I started to see her my mother because I had no mother, but she gave me a mother's love.

"It's nothing, Molly, just a small bruise." I hugged her tightly, playfully asking for some pastries.

As we started to head inside, a familiar male voice called out from behind. "Sophia, is this your home?"

Roderick appeared in the hallway, holding a handkerchief to his nose.

I was thrilled, thinking he had come to meet my family.

I reached for the car keys in my pocket, a surprise I had prepared for him-a limited-edition supercar worth a fortune.

But then Erica peeked out from behind him, her face twisted with disdain as she looked at me. "This place is so shabby, Roderick. Hurry up and tell her clearly. I feel like a rat could scurry out any second, and you know I'm terrified of rats."

Seeing them together confused me, and I froze mid-motion.

I lied, telling Molly they were friends and asking her to go inside.

"Let's talk outside."

Downstairs, Roderick didn't stand by my side as usual but joined Erica.

Erica spoke first. "You're too lowly to be a match for Roderick. He needs someone refined, from a good family, like me."

I was too shocked to speak. Just yesterday, Roderick had taken me to an amusement park, promising to make up for all my childhood regrets.

Now he stood with Erica, saying these things to my face.

I stared at him in disbelief. He cleared his throat, avoiding my gaze, and spoke coolly.

"I hope you're sensible enough to cancel the engagement yourself. Of course, I'll give you a generous compensation package."

Money could make up for his deception? How absurd.

Clearly, his parents hadn't told him my true identity before their accident.

I swallowed my pain and replied coldly. "The engagement was my father's decision. I only follow his orders."

At the mention of his parents' wishes, a flicker of hesitation crossed Roderick's eyes.

But seeing Erica beside him, he doubled down on ending the engagement.

He signaled his assistant to pull out a checkbook and scribbled a figure. "You can take a look at the compensation amount before deciding."

Erica eagerly took the check, sashaying forward to hand it to me. "Look closely. You'll never earn this much in your lifetime."

I was curious to see what kind of fortune made them so arrogant in front of me.

I reached for the check.

But the moment my fingers brushed it, Erica let it slip from her hand.

She tilted her chin smugly, gesturing for me to pick it up from the ground.

I wanted to punch that smug look off her face.

But remembering my father's orders, I clenched my fist and exhaled sharply.

I crouched down and picked up the check.

"Ten million? This is supposed to buy off my feelings?" I held the check, my voice dripping with mockery.

"Don't think marrying me will get you more. I'll have my lawyers draft a prenup. Even if you insist on the wedding, I've promised Erica I won't touch you." Roderick's tone sounded like a warning.

Hearing his firm stance, Erica gleefully hugged him, kissing his cheek loudly, completely ignoring me, his rightful fiancée.

I stared at their intertwined hands, my voice cold as ice. "Have you forgotten? Your parents' will clearly states that if you dare not marry me, you won't get a single cent of their fortune!"

I deeply regretted not listening to my father and giving my heart away too soon.

Even though I cared for Roderick, I refused to let them humiliate me so shamelessly.

I raised my hand to summon my nearby men to teach those two a lesson.

Molly emerged from the hallway, her face full of worry. "What's wrong, sweet? I could hear your arguing from inside. Can't you talk things out calmly?"

I lowered my hand and reassured her it was just a small matter.

Molly was getting older, and I feared her heart couldn't handle the stress.

"You're not welcome here. Leave!"

As they turned to go, Erica suddenly sneezed and looked at Roderick with a delicate pout. "It's so chilly here. My hands are freezing."

Roderick immediately shed his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

He pulled her close, warming her hands in his.

My stomach churned with disgust. Just yesterday, he had done the same for me.

Not wanting to look at them any longer, I turned and helped Molly back inside.

At the doorway, I tore the ten-million check to shreds and tossed it into a nearby trash can.

The next day was the agreed-upon meeting with Roderick's family elders.

A black Bentley's headlights pierced the morning mist, pulling up steadily in front of their villa.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward. A sharp female voice suddenly cut in from the side. "Sophia! How dare you show up?"

Erica rushed toward me in towering heels.

She grabbed my wrist, her nails nearly digging into my skin.

I frowned, flicked my wrist to break free, and shook my hand with disgust. "I don't answer to you. Move."

Erica laughed as if she'd heard the funniest joke, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook. "Roderick loves me! You think that engagement means you can just waltz into a wealthy family? Keep dreaming!"

I lifted my gaze, my eyes cold as ice. "At least for now, I'm the fiancée the Hudson family acknowledges. You don't even have the right to stand here."

"You!" Erica's face turned beet red.

Choked by my words, she lunged, clawing at my face in a fit of rage.

I was ready. I sidestepped slightly, grabbed her wrist, and used her momentum to pull and release.

With a scream, Erica lost her balance and toppled backward, landing hard in the flowerbed.

She shrieked. "Sophia! You pushed me! I won't let you get away with this!"

"Who started it?" I brushed off nonexistent dust from my hands, my tone flat, as if I'd done something trivial.

Just then, the villa's door swung open, and Roderick stepped out.

He wore a tailored black suit, his hair perfectly combed.

When he saw Erica in the flowerbed, his face darkened.

He hurried over to help her up, his voice thick with concern. "Erica! Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"

Seeing Roderick, Erica dropped her earlier ferocity. Her eyes welled up, and she threw herself into his arms, whimpering. "Roderick! Sophia bullied me! I only came to guide her since it's her first time here."

Roderick held her close and glared at me, his eyes blazing with anger. "Sophia! You've gone too far!"

I watched his blind reaction, a mocking smirk curling my lips. "Roderick, get it straight. She pushed me first. And if I didn't care about our families' shared interests, I wouldn't be here watching you two play the loving couple."

I paused, locking eyes with him, my voice firm. "If you love her so much, go inside right now, call off the engagement, and give up your inheritance. I won't cling to you."

Roderick faltered, his face growing uglier.

He couldn't and wouldn't. Without the fortune, he'd be nothing.

Erica whispered in his arms. "Roderick, look how arrogant she is! We can't let her inside, or how will we ever be together?"

Roderick snapped back to reality, stepped forward with Erica, and blocked my path. "Sophia, don't come to the dinner tonight. Let's avoid making everyone uncomfortable."

Erica chimed in. "Exactly! Get out! You're not welcome here!"

I stared at the two barring my way, about to speak, when a stern shout thundered from the villa's entrance. "Who dares stop her?"

Jones Hudson, Roderick's uncle, appeared at the doorway, his strikingly handsome face clouded with a terrifying scowl.

His gaze burned with anger as he looked at Roderick and Erica.

"Uncle... why are you out here?"

Roderick and Erica froze, their smug arrogance vanishing, replaced by panic and unease.

I glanced at the man who had suddenly appeared, a flicker of surprise in my eyes before I regained my composure.

I knew Roderick's uncle was a formidable figure, but I hadn't expected him to be so young.

"Roderick, is this how you treat a distinguished guest?" Jones wore a sharp, dark gray suit, his sleeves rolled up to reveal a Patek Philippe on his wrist.

His features bore a faint resemblance to Roderick's but carried the seasoned gravitas of a man well-versed in business.

He approached me and extended a hand. "Miss Saunders, I'm Jones. It's a pleasure to meet you."

I politely shook his firm, well-defined hand as he continued. "I'm a huge fan. I still remember your last hook at the national boxing championship, knocking out your opponent. The determination in your eyes on the ring always convinced me you'd win."

His sincerity and admiration softened my tense nerves. I nodded slightly. "Thank you, Jones."

Jones gestured invitingly, and we walked side by side into the hall, leaving Roderick and Erica, their faces ashen, behind us.

Erica gripped Roderick's arm tightly, her eyes brimming with resentment.

In the dining room, crystal chandeliers gleamed, and the long table overflowed with exquisite dishes.

"Erica, this foie gras is your favorite. I had the chef make it specially." Roderick's voice was tender as he served Erica, carefully cutting her food into small pieces.

Erica deliberately glanced at me, flashing a provocative smile.

Her look was like a peacock flaunting its claim, showing off Roderick's favor.

I sipped my wine, unbothered by their antics.

My phone buzzed suddenly. It was my father.

I rose slowly. "Excuse me, I need to take a call."

At the end of the corridor, I answered, dropping all emotion to report recent business matters in a professional tone.

Only at the end did I bring up the engagement. "Father, after observing Roderick, I find him deceitful and unworthy. Should we reconsider the engagement?"

As I hung up, footsteps approached from behind.

I turned to see Erica holding an ornate insulated box, her face plastered with a fake smile. "Sophia, these are Hokkaido scallops I had flown in from abroad. I heard you love seafood and planned to surprise you at dinner, but the delivery arrived late. Take a look."

I raised an eyebrow, staying silent.

Erica's feigned enthusiasm reeked of ulterior motives.

I turned to head back to the dining room, but after two steps, a cold sensation hit my back.

Erica had dumped the entire box of seafood, broth and all, over me!

Icy water dripped from my hair, scallops and sea urchins clinging to my dress, the slimy texture making me grimace.

Erica tossed the box aside, collapsed dramatically to the ground, her eyes instantly red, her voice trembling with fake tears. "Sophia, I brought you seafood out of kindness. Even if you didn't like it, you didn't have to get so angry..."

Hearing the commotion, people rushed out from the dining room.

Roderick saw Erica on the floor and me drenched, and without a second thought, he hurried to help her up.

When he looked at me, his eyes seemed to blaze with fury. "Sophia! You've been targeting Erica since you arrived. She lowered herself to please you, and you keep attacking her?"

Erica leaned into his arms, sobbing pitifully. "Don't blame Sophia. Maybe I did something to upset her."

I sneered, wiping water from my face, my gaze icy as it swept over the crowd and landed on the ceiling's upper-left corner. "Roderick, instead of accusing me, check the security camera up there. It'll show exactly who started this."

Roderick shielded Erica, his tone unwavering. "No need! I trust Erica. She never lies! Sophia, apologize!"

"Enough." Jones interrupted, stepping to my side, his gaze cold as he looked at Roderick. "Roderick, that's not your place to say."

He turned to Erica, still sniffling, his tone carrying a warning. "Erica, know when to stop. Checking the footage won't do you any favors."

Erica paled, knowing Jones wasn't someone to cross. "I'm not petty. For Roderick's sake, I'll forgive Sophia's offense this time."

Roderick quickly supported her, leading her upstairs.

Jones handed me a clean white shirt with a hint of apology. "Change into this. Don't catch a cold."

I took it and went to a guest room to rinse off.

Jones's shirt carried a faint cedar scent.

I paired it with tight jeans, leaving the collar open to reveal a hint of collarbone, my wet hair loosely tied back.

Jones caught sight of my casual look, a fleeting glimmer of admiration in his eyes. "That shirt looks great on you."

He praised me openly, then extended an invitation. "There's a nature reserve behind the villa with nice views. Want to take a walk?"

I nodded slightly.

We strolled along the river's wooden boardwalk, the evening breeze easing the earlier tension.

I gazed at the water and spoke suddenly. "When I was a kid training at a nearby base, I saw a boy fall into this river and jumped in to save him."

Jones paused, his face full of surprise. "You mean here?"

He hesitated, his tone complex. "Roderick favors Erica so much because, as a child, he got lost here, fell into the river, and she saved him."

I froze, then laughed. "What a coincidence. This river must be full of rescue stories."

Jones chuckled, teasing. "Maybe it's a river that gobbles up little boys, waiting for girls to save them."

We shared a smile, the mood lightening.

As night fell, I politely took my leave.

My assistant arrived to pick me up. In the car, I gave a stern order. "Pull the surveillance footage from near the base's river, ten years ago."

My gaze turned to the night outside, my eyes sharpening.

Erica saved Roderick there too?

The world didn't have such perfect coincidences.

Upstairs, Roderick gently applied ointment to Erica's skin.

Erica leaned into him, a smug smile curling her lips.

She didn't yet know a storm was brewing, one that would unravel all her carefully crafted lies.