THE GAME OF WITS

Chloe sat in her dimly lit apartment, the black box resting on her desk like a silent enigma. The weight of Milan's challenge pressed on her—find out what's inside without opening it. He was testing her intelligence, her resourcefulness, and maybe even her patience.

She ran her fingers over the smooth surface, thinking. Milan wouldn't give her something easy. This was a game, and she had to play smart.

Step One: Eliminate the Obvious.

Chloe held the box up to the light. No markings, no engravings. She tilted it, shook it lightly. No sound. Was it empty? No—Milan wouldn't waste her time with nothing.

She grabbed a notepad and listed possibilities. A tracking device? A USB with secrets? A key?

Step Two: Outsmart the Mastermind.

Instead of wasting time guessing, Chloe took a different route—she researched Milan. She dug through articles, old interviews, anything that could give her a clue about his interests. Then, she hit something interesting. Years ago, he had been seen wearing a unique silver ring with a serpent emblem—one that mysteriously disappeared. Could it be inside?

Step Three: Play His Game—But Win.

Chloe needed confirmation. So, when Milan texted her a casual "How's the challenge going?", she played along.

"It's interesting," she replied. "I never expected you to keep something so personal locked away."

A pause. Then his reply: "Personal, huh? What makes you think that?"

She smirked. "Just a feeling. Maybe something that once belonged to you… like a lost ring?"

Another pause. Longer this time. Then— "Clever girl."

She had him.

The next evening, when she returned the box unopened, Milan leaned against his desk, arms crossed, watching her with something close to admiration.

"You didn't cheat?" he asked.

Chloe smiled. "I didn't need to."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You keep surprising me, Chloe."

And just like that, she had earned another layer of his interest.

---