Chapter 13
I
“Why the hell should I know?” Ethan’s tone was sharp, tinged with irritation. The tight knot of his brows betrayed his und
His eyes stayed
locked on Sophia, filled with questions that refused to settle.
He wondered. If she isn’t a skilled racer, if she doesn’t belong, how did she manage to get into a racing suit–and onto this track?”
Even Ethan wasn’t allowed on the racetrack for the third match, the highlight of the entire event.
Ethan couldn’t get the confusion out of his mind. “So what’s this? Is she hiding something from me all along?
A sudden movement caught Ethan’s attention, pulling his frown even deeper.
Chloe was walking straight toward Sophia. Though he couldn’t make out their conversation, it wasn’t long before Chloe’s eyes reddened, her expression on the verge of tears
“Ethan, why does Chloe keep going to Sophia?” one of his friends mustered, exasperation dripping from his tone.
He continued, “Seriously, we don’t get it. Chloe keeps picking fights with Sophia, only to get completely shut down every single time. She’s dragging henell—and us–through the mud”
It was obvious to everyone, but Chlor, that Sophia wasted nothing to do with her.
Yet Chloe continued to wedge herself into situations that always ended in humiliation.
Still, none of them dared to say much, out of respect for Ethan.
Just as his friend’s words trailed off, Ethan was already moving, striding toward the confrontation
His friends exchanged knowing glances and sighed, shaking their heads. “Here we go again. Chloe causes trouble, and Ethan’s the one cleaning it
- up.
Another one chimed in, “Exactly. If it were Sophia, she’d never create problems for Ethan. She’d probably fix them instead.
But at least this time, they were wrong.
Ethan wasn’t heading over to save Chloe he was looking for an opportunity to confront Sophia. He needed answers about why she was here, dressed in a racing suit on this track.
Chloe was simply a convenient exame,
By the time he reached them, Chloe’s delicate, tearful voice was carrying through the air. “Sophia, how could you stoop so low! You always swore you’d stay away from us, me and Ethan–and yet, look at you now!”
She stepped closer, her words trembling with accusation and heartbreak, “You know Ethan idolizes some racer, so you’re doing this on purpose! Dressing like her, using cheap tricks to grab his attention. That’s so low, even for you”
Chloe’s
voice quivered, carrying a faint sobs intertwined with the sharp edge of bitter heartbreak.
Ethan arrived just as she finished, his presence drawing both women’s attention. Chlor’s words made his heart tighten. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his gare shifted to Sophia, dark and probing
So this is what it was, Ethan suddenly realized. Just another one of Sophia’s games. A ploy to make me notice her!
When chasing me relentlessly hasn’t worked, she’s changed her approach. Thinking of that, even Ethan had to admit–it was a clever strategy. Far more sophisticated than her previous attempts.
Ethan’s sharp eyes lingered on Sophia, taking in her striking image in the black–and–red racing suit. The outfit radiated an effortless cool, almost intimidating in its confidence. Her look wasn’t just captivating–it was magnetic, powerful enough to make even strangers stop and cheer for her.
For a fleeting moment, Sophia’s image blurred with another in Ethan’s memory–Mus 5, the muse who had sparked his obsession years ago.
Meanwhile, Chloe caught Ethan’s intense stare. She saw the way his Adam’s apple bobbed, the unmistakable heat in his gaze. She’d seen it before
Panic surged through Chloe, twisting her stomach into knots as she pursed her lips.
e knew i
that
She
1/3
D
Dreame–Read Romance.
Open
ex
1147
Chapter 13
Chloe’s heart pounded as her mind raced. She had worked too hard to pull Ethan away from Sophia’s grasp. There was no way she would let things go back to the way they were
Ethan wasn’t just a man to her. He was her trophy. Her leverage. Her ipol to crush Sophia. She couldn’t afford to lose him now.
Chloe clung tightly to Ethan’s arm, her voice trembling with the remnants of her earlier frustration. A faint sob colored her words, making her sound heartbreakingly vulnerable. “Ethan, please don’t be mad at her, she pleaded softly, her tone dripping with concem. “She’s just confused right now. That’s why she dressed like this. I know her actions insult your idol–your muse—but she’s only doing it because she cares about you so much Sneaking onto the track like this was a mistake…”
Chloe’s words painted herself as empathetic and forgiving, but every sentence was a calculated jab at Sophia’s motives.
She implied that Sophia must have resorted to disgraceful means to appear on this prestigious racetrack. Worse, Sophia’s supposed imitation of Ethan’s muse wasn’t just desperate–it was an outright insult to the legend he revered.
As Chloe spoke, a flicker of disgust and anger appeared in Ethan’s eyes. His jaw tightened, and when he finally spoke, his voice was cold and biting-
“Sophia, stop making a fool of yourself! Do you even know where you are? This track is for the best racers in the world. Who do you think you are? Geoff it Now”
Sophia raised her gare lazily, her expression indifferent yet cutting. A faint smirk tugged at her lips, her dark eyes sweeping over Ethan with sharp contempt. “You think everyone’s as pathetic as you?” she said coolly. “With those laughable racing skills of yours, you’re only fit for low–level, show- off races”
Ethan’s face turned ashen.
Her words struck like a dazeer, hitting him squarely where it hurt most–his pride
Her taunting at her racing skills is unbearable to him.
For three years, Sophia had been tender, clinging to him for scraps of attention.
She’d known how much his racing meant to him and how deeply he believed in his own abilities behind the wheel.
And now, she was mocking the very thing he prided himself on-
If this was Sophia’s way of getting under his skin, it was working.
Ethan’s boiling with rap
His glare darkened, his anger bubbling dangerously close to the surface.
But before he could lash out, a loud bell rang through the air.
The signal for the start of the third race
ading toward the pit lane.
Without sparing him another glance, Sophia brushed past Erhan, heading
Her movements were fluid and commanding, exuding an effortless coolness that left no room for argument. Raising her helmet, she donned it in one smooth motion, peeled the cover off a sleek black Bugatti, and slid into the driver’s seat
The car roared to life, drowning out Ethan’s brewing fury. The dark windows of her car shut him out completely
Ethan stood frozen, staring at the Bugatti now idling on the track. None of the staff made a move to stop her. The realization hit him like a sledgehammer.
She was really competing in the third race.
Sherry, standing nearby, snorted at Ethan’s stunned expression. “Bam! In your face! LOSER,” she sneered rolling her eyes with exaggerated disdain.
With that. Sherry ascended the stairs to the viewing platform, joining a small group of men standing casually near the top.
Sherry exchanged a few words with them, her smirk widening when one of the men glanced down at Ethan. She followed the man’s gaze, her expression taunting.
Ethan’s chest tightened as frustration flared. He couldn’t make out the faces of the men from his vantage point, but their mocking stares burned.
Into him.
Now Ethan was filled with a deep unease. His temple throbbed as frustration churned in his chest
2/3
Dreame–Read Romance…
Open
11:47 AM ch
Chapter 13
Then, as Sherry shifted slightly, one man’s face came into full view at th
the stairwell’s bend.
Ethan froze,lus breath catching
That face–it was unmistakable.
It was Zack, heir to the Collins family.
Zack was the man Ethan had spent the entire evening trying to meet
He so powerful, so far removed from ordinary society, that he was practically untouchable. And yet, here he was, standing casually with Sophia’s
friends
Ethan’s mind spun. Did Zack help Sophia into the Abyss tonight! Do they know each other?”
The thought made his brows knit together, disbelief washing over him.
She wared at Sophia, mouth agape. He shook his head, trying to get the scary thought out of his mind.
Even with her past ties to the Stewart family, there was no way Sophis could have reached someone as lofty as Zack Collins. Not when even the influential Baker family had failed to gain access to him
3/3
