Chapter 4: The Race
At 10 PM, the small town was shrouded in darkness, enveloped in silence, broken only by the rustle of the wind. The scattered lights along the rocky mountain path twinkled like distant stars.
“Go, Boss!”
“The Boss will totally win!”
Kevin and a few friends cheered from the sidelines, waving glow-in-the-dark signs they had ordered online. Their excitement filled the air.
Lenore, clad in a baseball cap and a mask that shadowed her face, raised her hand to quiet everyone down. She strode confidently toward a customized white race car, looking sharp in her black cargo pants.
With a playful smirk, she placed her foot on the car’s hood. “Do we even need to race?” Her cool gaze hinted at her fierce determination.
The driver of the red car clenched his jaw. “Let’s race,” he called out, knowing he was probably going to lose, but unable to back out now if he wanted to hold his head high afterward.
Lenore grinned mischievously. “I’ll make sure you take your loss like a champ.” With 7 million dollars on the line—enough to renovate and expand the orphanage several times over—the stakes were high.
The racecourse wound through the mountain road and the town’s streets, with no set rules. The winner would be the first to complete five laps.
Five minutes later, the race began, and the white and red cars shot off like arrows, leaving trails of light against the dark sky. Before long, the red car surged ahead, leaving the white car in a cloud of dust.
“Wow…” Wayne, watching from a high perch, couldn’t hide his amazement. “That beautiful girl really is a racer.”
Wayne and Silas had heard from Pedro that Lenore would be racing tonight. It was already impressive that she could fix cars, so Pedro didn’t believe it. But since they were bored, they decided to check it out and were genuinely surprised by how high-level the competition was for such a small town.
Silas stood nearby, hands in his pockets, lightly tapping his fingers against his thigh. His deep-set eyes hid the thoughts swirling within.
Wayne suddenly remembered something and leaned closer to Silas, whispering, “Isn’t your deal with that guy about to end?”
“I guess so,” Silas said casually, showing no signs of emotion.
Wayne’s eyes shone with curiosity. “Do you think she’s got this?”
The red car roared past, completing the first lap. Silas rubbed his fingers together, a sly smile spreading across his face. “Are we so useless that we let a girl handle everything?”
Wayne was taken aback. Okay, I’ll stop talking, he thought.
The early autumn night was filled with howling winds, chilling the air. Five minutes and twenty seconds later, the red car crossed the finish line, having left the white car two laps behind. It came to a smooth stop after a sideways drift.
The crowd erupted in cheers. Lenore climbed out of the car, took off her helmet, and swept back her wind-tousled hair. A fierce spirit sparkled in her eyes, and a playful smile danced on her lips.
Bathed in the dim light, she seemed like a force of nature, full of mischief. The socialites from Denisville couldn’t compare to her, Wayne thought, staring at her in awe. He covered his chest. “Silas, I think I’m in love…”
Silas simply raised an eyebrow.
Just then, Wayne felt a sudden kick and tumbled down the small hill into a ditch, letting out a startled shout.
Silas calmly pulled back his foot, scanning the crowd until his gaze landed on Lenore, who looked grounded yet ethereal. A sharp intrigue glinted in his eyes.
As the white race car finally reached the finish line, Lenore perched on the hood, half-dazed. When she noticed someone approaching, she jumped down, her expression cool. “Ready to give up?”
Charlie Grafton’s face paled under the scrutiny of the crowd. Gritting his teeth, he finally said, “I give up.”
Lenore felt a pair of fierce, wolf-like eyes watching her intently from the shadows. She glanced over but couldn’t identify the figure. A flicker of chill crossed her face, but she quickly masked it with a playful grin.
She pulled out her phone and waved it at Charlie. “Transfer the money to my account. And remember, the entire Charlie Club is under my command for the next three years.”
The Charlie Club was a racing group with a wild history, having even participated in two international competitions. After losing to Lenore before, Charlie couldn’t shake off the bitterness, leading to this moment.
As the loser, he had to serve the winner for three years, and now he had no choice but to accept his defeat, feeling a mix of bitterness and humiliation wash over him.
