Chapter 196: Getting the Money Back
Late at night, Zachary stood outside Samantha's door clutching the bottle of imported liquor Wayne had given him, hesitating before finally knocking.
Samantha was in the middle of a phone call with Isabella when the unexpected knock startled her. She hastily wrapped up the conversation and hurried to answer the door.
Seeing Zachary of all people standing there at this hour made her jaw drop.
"What do you want?" Samantha's eyes swept over him from head to toe.
His face still bore faint bruises, and his smile carried an ingratiating quality that set her teeth on edge.
Everything about him screamed discomfort.
Zachary studied the woman before him, adjusting his approach. "I heard your team reached out to ours about a partnership. Wayne sent me over to discuss the details."
He held up the bottle. "This was supposed to be my victory celebration gift from Wayne, but I figured it'd be better used here—as a peace offering."
Samantha's gaze flickered toward Zack inside the room. A silent understanding passed between them as they quickly pieced together Wayne's real intentions.
Earning that snake's trust clearly wasn't going to be easy.
"Give me a minute to settle Zack, then we can talk," Samantha said.
Zachary's hand shot out, blocking her path. "Why don't we have Zack join us? We can all share a drink and clear up any... misunderstandings between us."
Misunderstandings? The word made Samantha's blood boil. There was no misunderstanding about what Zachary had done to Zack—it had been deliberate sabotage, plain and simple.
The casual way he dismissed his crimes as mere "misunderstandings" made her skin crawl.
"I appreciate the offer," Zack said with a gracious smile that betrayed none of his inner turmoil, "but my doctor's been pretty clear—no alcohol with my current condition."
Samantha wheeled Zack into the smaller bedroom and shut the door firmly, leaving just her and Zachary in the main suite.
As the team manager, Samantha had plenty of experience with corporate schmoozing and client dinners. Her alcohol tolerance was nothing to sneeze at.
Shot after shot of burning liquor went down, and gradually her eyes took on a glassy sheen, her words beginning to slur.
Zachary appeared even more intoxicated, but he hadn't forgotten his mission.
"Samantha," he mumbled, leaning forward, "I gotta ask you something. Is Victoria really... okay? You guys really trust her that much?"
Samantha let out a low, humorless laugh. "Even the world's greatest driver would see their performance tank after eight years away from competition. Hell, you young hotshots have to train every single day just to maintain your edge, don't you?"
She wasn't lying—Zachary knew she had a point.
From the moment he'd turned pro, every aspect of his life had been under the team's microscope. His diet, his schedule, his ten-hour daily training regimen—nothing was left to chance. And that didn't even include the brutal physical conditioning required to keep his body in peak form.
When she put it that way, Victoria's declining performance actually made perfect sense.
The clock struck midnight. Three empty bottles littered the coffee table, and both Samantha and Zachary were sprawled across the couch in various states of inebriation.
A knock at the door roused Samantha. She stumbled to her feet and wobbled toward the entrance.
Two figures in hotel staff uniforms stood in the hallway.
"We received a call requesting assistance with an intoxicated guest who needs help getting back to his room," one of them announced.
Zack must have called for help.
Samantha stepped aside, allowing one staff member to haul the barely-conscious Zachary out of her suite.
But the second figure didn't leave. Instead, a hand grabbed Samantha's arm and pulled her back inside. A foot hooked around the door, slamming it shut.
Samantha's heart lurched. Panic flooded her system and she opened her mouth to scream—
The figure yanked off their cap, revealing striking features and familiar eyes.
"Isabella!" The name burst from Samantha's lips as her alcohol-induced haze evaporated instantly.
Isabella tossed the cap onto the couch and shot Samantha a meaningful look before shaking her head slightly.
"Get Zack out here. I can't stay long."
Moments later, the three of them huddled together in the cramped space, the urgency of the situation weighing heavily on them all.
"I completely agree with continuing this plan," Isabella said. "If we can earn Wayne's trust, that's our best shot."
"But what about you?" Samantha pressed. "When are you coming back? We can't keep Victoria's identity hidden forever. You're not seriously planning to have Tina make all your public appearances from now on, are you?"
Tying Tina's face to the Victoria brand indefinitely seemed like a recipe for disaster.
"Let's worry about that after the championship," Isabella replied. "I still need to see Richard tonight."
After a few more hurried instructions, Isabella rose to leave.
"Wait!" Samantha dashed back to her bedroom and returned with a pace notes book.
"You guys didn't finish the practice run last time. Tina recorded these during today's race when she was standing in for you. I'm not worried about you, obviously—but Joseph hasn't had a chance to learn the Canvia course yet. This could really help him."
Isabella pulled Samantha into a fierce embrace. "Thank you," she whispered, then disappeared out the door.
Richard showed no surprise when Isabella materialized in his suite.
"They're planning to use this championship to elevate Zachary to legend status while making a fortune in the process," Isabella explained. "So I was thinking... Mr. Spencer could use this opportunity to recoup his entire investment—and then some."
Richard's brow furrowed. "You want me to place bets?"
Isabella nodded. "They're putting everything on Zachary. You put everything on Victoria. The more you bet, the more you win. They've set up a massive pool for this race—we're talking serious money."
News of Romantic Racing's setbacks had spread like wildfire through the racing community. The odds on Snake Racing were climbing steadily, threatening to overtake Romantic's projections.
For Isabella, this couldn't have worked out better.
Richard didn't press for details. His faith in Isabella was absolute by this point. He nodded without hesitation.
Only after they'd finished discussing strategy did Olivia emerge from her bedroom and throw herself into Isabella's arms.
"Mommy, I missed you so much," Olivia sobbed, burying her face against Isabella's neck.
She knew her mother was safe. But the tears came anyway, hot and unstoppable.
Isabella held her daughter close. "After this race is over, I promise I won't leave you again."
Olivia pulled back, her eyes swimming with tears. "Oh! Nathan came to see me today. He said I should go live with him and Daddy. He said... he said people who die can't come back, and that you're never coming home..."
Isabella's blood ran cold.
What kind of child talks about death and permanence like that?
Someone had put those words in Nathan's mouth. Isabella was certain of it.