Erik held Janelle's hand.
"..."
The Cullinan had barely stopped when Bryan came running over.
"Erik! Janelle! The race is starting soon! Perfect timing!" Tonight was the first elimination round, and Bryan was competing.
Erik released her hand and got out, opening her car door for her.
"Janelle, you guys enjoy yourselves! I gotta go get ready!" The teenager, clad in racing gear, radiated youthful energy.
"Go on. Be careful," Erik instructed. Racing was thrilling but dangerous. Injuries, even fatalities, were possible in every event.
"Don't worry, my skills are top-notch!" Bryan was brimming with confidence.
"Bruce! Isn't that your goddess?" Bruce Aleen's buddy spotted Janelle first.
Bruce Aleen, in his black racing suit, turned and saw her too. He put down his helmet and walked towards them.
"Miss Rovella! Didn't expect to see you at the races!" Seeing Bruce Aleen approach, Erik frowned. What did this kid want? Why was he here?
"Young Mr. Aleen." Regardless, Janelle aimed to collaborate with the Aleens. She remained polite to Bruce Aleen.
"Janelle, can I call you that?" Bruce Aleen's eyes were solely on Janelle, completely ignoring Erik and his displeased expression.
"Mm," Janelle agreed easily.
"Then don't call me 'Young Mr. Aleen' either. We're peers; just use my name!" Bruce wanted to close the distance.
"Okay," Janelle was surprisingly agreeable.
"Want to see my race car?" Knowing she liked racing, Bruce went straight for her interest.
"Sure! Let's take a look." Janelle started to follow Bruce.
Erik caught one of her fingers. Janelle looked back at him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." They came together! How could she leave him standing there alone? "I'd also like to see Mr. Aleen's race car," Erik stated casually.
Seeing Erik still holding Janelle's hand made Bruce feel a pang of discomfort. "Then come along." What was the big deal? "Mr. Aleen, after you." Erik kept hold of Janelle's hand. Bruce found it hard to watch but led them to his car.
Bruce's car was specially modified. Both its appearance and performance were top-tier. Janelle liked it instantly.
"Bruce Aleen, this is a great car."
"If you like it, we can go out another time, just us, and you can take it for a few laps. Hey, Janelle, do you race? You're so skilled! Why didn't you sign up for this event?"
"Mm, maybe another time," Janelle replied, feeling the familiar itch. The danger and thrill of racing were something she could rarely resist.
"Bruce! The race is starting soon!" someone called out.
Bruce looked at Janelle reluctantly. "I gotta go race. After it's over, let's grab some late-night food?"
"Focus on your race first." Seeing time was truly short, Bruce had to head off to prepare.
"You like that car?" Erik asked after Bruce left.
"The performance seems solid." Just the sound of the engine told her that. Of course, the Young Mr. Aleen's car would have top performance.
"Mm." Erik thought about the bright red race car in his Imperial Capital garage. It would suit her perfectly. The little fox loved racing but couldn't afford modifications. Seeing her admire other cars was... kind of heartbreaking. He'd have that red car shipped over for her. He could customize it for her himself later.
Janelle had no idea about the elaborate scenario unfolding in his mind. Honestly, she wasn't that poor! She owned a racec car back at the border, one she'd modified herself. She just hadn't had time to ship it back amidst everything.
The race began. Erik took Janelle to the spectator stands. Only the wealthy could afford racing – the maintenance and inspections alone were costly. The stands were filled with Graham City's young elite, most of whom recognized Janelle.
Someone eager for drama filmed Janelle and Erik in the stands and posted it to the Graham City rich kids group chat.
[Guess who I ran into at the winding mountain road track!]
[Picture attached]
[WOW! Janelle and her man!]
[This photo is stunning! Did you use a filter?] Was she really this beautiful in person?
[Nope, raw camera shot. Gotta say, Janelle's looks are unreal.]
[And the guy next to her is gorgeous too! Forget backgrounds, this guy is better-looking than Nelson!]
Nelson, brooding at home, saw the chat. It made him feel worse. Was that man better-looking? What did looks matter! The guy clearly had violent tendencies. If Janelle stayed with him, she'd definitely suffer domestic abuse someday. Lost in his thoughts, he accidentally sent a crying emoji.
[...]
Wasn't Nelson supposed to be locked in his room refusing to come out? Why was he crawling out of the woodwork now? Especially while they were comparing him to that man.
[@Nelson, Mr. Hill, no offense meant! You're still very handsome!]
[Yeah! Janelle not appreciating you is her lack of taste.]
[SHUT UP.] Nelson hurled his phone across the room. The once-favored son of heaven had become utterly morose. Erik and Janelle trampling his dignity like this... After the assessment, he'd make them wish they were dead.
Lillie also saw the chat. She didn't comment. But seeing how good that man was to Janelle filled her with envy. Janelle's reputation was trash. How could he genuinely like her? He was probably just after her money! No matter how handsome, he was sponging off her.
The King of the Border, the fabulously wealthy Mr. Lorenz... He could never have imagined being called poor.
The race started. It was just the qualifiers. Everyone was holding back. Janelle lost interest after a while. Watching couldn't compare to being behind the wheel.
"Tired?" Seeing her waning interest, Erik wrapped an arm around her waist. "You can lean on me and rest if you are."
"I'm alright." On the track, she only recognized Bruce Aleen and Bryan. They quickly took the lead, swapping the first position.
"Seems predictable."
"Mm. Bryan has always loved racing. His skills are decent," Erik said, a hint of pride in his voice for the young man he'd mentored.
Just then, the race took a dangerous turn. Someone was deliberately cutting off Bryan.