The Gambit of Queens: Benny & Beth's Epic Love Story

"Queen to King's four."

"King to Queen's three."

"Queen to King's five."

Benny, the white king, parried Beth's attack with his knight. "Mate in three moves," he said confidently.

Why did she want to lose? She didn't know how and yet their game was always over within a few moves. She just couldn't seem to figure out how to win from him.

He glanced at her with a smile that made her heart melt as they leaned against each other on the bed, both dressed only in their underwear. Beth looked down at the board, but her heart wasn't in it anymore. It had been a year since they met at the university in America where they studied international politics and Middle Eastern studies respectively and after three months of dating, Benny had proposed to her. They were married a year ago and already she wanted more children. However, Benny kept delaying their decision and this was not the first time that he had lost interest in sex altogether. Whatever it was, she knew that his heart wasn't in it when they did it either and sometimes she caught him looking at her like he was feeling guilty or like he didn't really care about her. But why would he do that? They loved each other madly! He was everything she ever wanted in a man - handsome, funny and smart. He had an old soul trapped inside that young body of his... Or so she had thought until today when he beat her easily in chess again. Now there was something else on his mind, she could tell.

She sighed softly as he took important pieces off her board easily while talking about his work at home these days. "King takes bishop," he said casually as the piece fell off the board, making Beth gulp silently. Her defenses were crumbling fast, yet again! She felt like jumping off the bed and running away from him for good but instead she tried hard to concentrate on the game and stopped him with her queen from taking another piece off her side by threatening him with checkmate next move if he didn't defend himself now against her rooks which were getting dangerously close to his king this way. She hadn't even seen him open up this position for attack but it seemed obvious that once again he had planned all of this well ahead of time during their conversation earlier today when they were discussing some delicate political matters between them and one or two minor emirates around them who were causing trouble lately whereas Benny actually seemed pretty relaxed about the whole thing! It was almost like he had known what would happen before hand or something! It was really uncanny! But then again, maybe she just couldn't see through his tactics while playing chess because of her naivety toward anything related to politics? That must be it! She felt herself relax as Beth quickly moved her rooks into attacking position but nothing happened! Instead he added some minor pieces one by one onto his side of the board until finally...