My Baby Daddy Isn't Human-Chapter 157: Lesson in Strategy

He watched her with an unreadable expression. "Not bad. But you need to think ahead. Always ask yourself—if I move this piece, what will my opponent do next? What am I giving up?"

Raelynn frowned, glancing between the board and Elion's calm face. "That sounds exhausting."

A quiet chuckle escaped his lips. "That's because you're not used to it yet." He tapped a knight, shifting it into position. "Try again."

Raelynn narrowed her eyes, trying to predict what Elion was planning. His expression gave nothing away, his face a picture of cool indifference. It annoyed her.

She decided to move a bishop forward, her fingers lingering on the carved piece before releasing it.

Elion hummed, tilting his head slightly. "Interesting choice."

She frowned. "Interesting good, or interesting bad?"

He simply smirked, then made his next move without answering.

Raelynn groaned, slumping against the pillows. "You're really not going to tell me if that was a bad move?"

Elion chuckled, his voice rich with amusement. "What fun would that be?"

"You sound just like one of those cold, ruthless grandmasters."

He arched a brow. "And?"

Raelynn scoffed. "And I don't stand a chance against you."

Elion leaned back in his chair, one hand resting against his chin as he observed her. "You're learning. That's what matters."

She exhaled through her nose, clearly unconvinced. Her fingers absentmindedly played with the hem of her blanket as she studied the board.

The room felt comfortably warm, but the weight of Elion's gaze on her made Raelynn feel warmer. There was something about the way he watched her—calm, patient, but deeply focused. Like he was studying her more than the game itself.

She hesitated before speaking. "Do you play often?"

Elion's lips curved slightly. "Not as much as I used to."

She raised a brow. "And who did you play with?"

Elion's gaze flickered to the side for a brief moment, as if recalling a distant memory. "My father taught me when I was a child," he admitted. "He believed chess was a way to sharpen the mind—to see beyond what's right in front of you."

There was something almost nostalgic in his tone, though it was brief—so brief that if Raelynn hadn't been paying attention, she would have missed it.

She tilted her head. "Did he always win?"

Elion's smirk returned. "At first. But eventually, I surpassed him."

Raelynn chuckled. "I bet he was proud."

A flicker of something crossed his face, but he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gestured toward the board. "Your turn."

She exhaled, shaking off the lingering curiosity she had about his past. Focusing on the game, she carefully moved another piece, trying to mimic the strategies he had been using.

For the next hour, they continued playing, and though Raelynn was nowhere near Elion's level, she slowly began to understand the game's deeper layers. Elion didn't let her win, nor did he go easy on her—but he guided her, pointing out her mistakes and explaining why certain moves were better than others.

As the game progressed, she started picking up on small details—how Elion's fingers would linger just a second longer on certain pieces, how his silver eyes flickered when he spotted an opening. She was beginning to recognize patterns, and it excited her.

"I think I finally get it," she murmured, moving a knight into place.

Elion's gaze flicked to the board, then back to her. A slow, approving smile formed on his lips. "Do you?"

Raelynn nodded confidently. "Yes."

Without breaking eye contact, Elion reached out and made a single move.

"Checkmate."

Raelynn's mouth fell open. "Wait—what?"

Elion's smirk was entirely too smug.

Raelynn stared at the board in disbelief. "How—? I was so close!"

Elion chuckled, leaning back with a satisfied expression. "You were. But you didn't see the trap I set five moves ago."

She groaned dramatically, flopping back onto the pillows. "This game is evil."

Elion's laughter was soft, yet deeply amused. "You did well, Raelynn."

She peeked up at him. "Really?"

His silver eyes met hers, something warm lingering behind them. "Really."

For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the room filled with nothing but the quiet crackle of the fire. There was something comforting about it—about the way he was looking at her, about the way he had spent the entire evening patiently teaching her, despite knowing she wasn't much of a challenge for him.

Something inside Raelynn softened.

Maybe chess wasn't so bad after all.