Chapter 31

Across the track, Rylle pulled out her earbuds and walked straight toward her car-Black Mirage.

The vehicle had been sitting untouched in Britton's garage. Now, for this race, he'd finally rolled it out.

"I haven't touched the engine," Britton said. "It's still running exactly how you funed it last time." He gave a nod toward the new paint job. "Only thing I changed was the color. Looks sharp, doesn't it?"

Rylie gave the car a once-over. Satisfied, she climbed in. "Alright. Let's go."

The moment her car reached the starting line, the crowd began to murmur.

"That design... Doesn't it look like one of Revline's builds?"

"But Revline hasn't worked on a car in years. And this driver- she's a woman. That's rare."

Phillip spotted the car, and his face went tight. "How is this possible?"

Everyone familiar with racing cars knew that Revline's creations were rare. Their speed, their handling,the cost-nothing matched them. These machines sold for hundreds of millions.

If Rylie really had one, then Phillip had no idea how the race would turn out.

How was she connected to Revline? Why hadn't he ever heard of this?

But the questions had to wait. The fifth racer was already in view. His two sisters, Stacey and Rylie,were about to go head-to-head.

Stacey gripped the wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. Her car gave a slight shake,not from the weather, but from her hands trembling on the controls.

"Three. Two. One! Go!"

Both engines roared to life. Stacey's pink custom slipped on the wet track. The tires spun out briefly before they found grip. Meanwhile, Rylie's Black Mirage blasted forward, slicing through the rain and grabbing half a car-length lead in seconds.

Phillip shouted from the sidelines, "No turbo lag? Are you kidding me?"

He hadn't been told that Rylie had already removed the speed limiter from her car.

At the first tur, Stacey dropped into third. Phillip clenched his fists and yelled, "Stacey! What are you waiting for? Step on it!"

Stacey tensed up the moment Phillip yelled. She saw Rylie pulling ahead, clenched her jaw, and slammed the gas pedal down hard.

"Disable the limniter! Rylie's the only one in your way- overtake her now!" shouted Phillip.

She followed the command and switched off the limiter. Her car responded instantly, gaining speed in seconds.

It surged forward and pulled alongside Rylie's vehicle. She glanced over, the adrenaline kicking in. Her competitive side roared to life. The turbines screamed as she pushed past Rylie.

"Nice move, Stacey!" came Phillip's voice in her ear.

Rylie didn't react. The lead didn't bother her. She had already noticed the drop in visibility.Hail had begun to fall. At their current speed, a single mistake could be costly.

Suddenly,hail peted Stacey's windshield. Her breath caught in her throat. She blinked fast, trying to see through the storm. In the mirror, she caught a glimpse of Rylie's car. It clung to the inside line, one wheel barely touching the ground, slicing close to the guardrail. She could tell that Rylie was going for the overtake.

Stacey immediately activated the mechanical button to prepare for another speed boost, but Phillip's warning came through her headset. "Your tires are worn from the high speed, and the cornering isn't great. Don't go too fast; just keep Rylie behind you and get through steadily."

"I can't!" shouted Stacey. "She's going wide on the turn, and I have to stay at this speed to make it through!"

A reckless thought surged through her mind. There were no barriers on this stretch. Just one small nudge at the edge could send Rylie's car flying off the cliff.

If Rylie crashed, every problem would disappear.

Rylie noticed what was happening. She saw the angle, the pressure, and the space narrowing.But she didn't flinch. She pressed the lever forward and floored the gas, preparing to take the bend.

"Is she insane?!" the commentator yelled. "That corner took out three racers last year! She's actually going for it!"

Stacey saw her shot and hit the brakes. The lights on her car flashed bright. In the pit, Britton's heart nearly stopped."Boss!"

Stacey's eyes burned with something wild. "Die, Rylie," she muttered under her breath.

In the VIP room, Brad sat motionless. His fists clenched in his lap. His face had gone cold and hard as ice.