Chapter 200: Joining Forces
The cellar's soundproofing was excellent—Isabella and Joseph had no idea what had transpired outside. But judging from the father and daughter's shaken expressions, it must have been a close call.
"I'm so sorry. I never thought we'd bring trouble to your door, but I didn't expect them to track us here..." Isabella's voice was heavy with guilt.
If it weren't for them, this peaceful household would never have faced a police search.
Alan shook his head gently. "It's not your fault. Someone in the village tipped them off. They would've come eventually."
"But that stranger claimed to be your husband. He seemed to care deeply for you. Are you sure you don't want to see him?"
Joseph, silent until now, let out a cold laugh. "That man's an expert at playing roles. He can act out any devoted husband routine you can imagine. He's a bastard."
Isabella's expression hardened. "We need to find somewhere else to stay as soon as possible."
Vivian thought for a moment, then held up a hand to stop her.
"There isn't anywhere better right now. The town only has a few hotels, and with the championship, fans have booked every room. As for private residences... I'm sure people are watching those too. Your husband looks wealthy—plenty of folks would be happy to work for him."
Vivian had hit the nail on the head.
Money was the one thing William had in abundance. Flash enough cash, and countless people would sell their souls for him.
It was indeed a problem.
"Then stay with us for now. They probably won't come searching again anytime soon." Vivian glanced at Alan, reassuring him.
After this morning's ordeal, Isabella realized more clearly than ever that she couldn't take down Snake Team on her own strength alone.
William by himself was already this persistent—let alone Wayne from Snake Team, that old fox, and all the corporate backing behind them.
These were all serious obstacles.
"Is there anyone else we could bring to our side?" Joseph asked, frowning.
Plenty of teams had suffered at Snake Team's hands, but only a handful had qualified for the Canvia Championship.
Everyone here had come to race and win, not to get caught up in scheming. Joseph doubted anyone would join them in taking on Snake Team.
In a way, though, Joseph's comment sparked something in Isabella's mind.
Their current predicament wasn't entirely unsolvable.
The solution lay somewhere within—they just hadn't seen it yet.
Her gaze drifted to the unfinished chess game from this morning, and suddenly Isabella remembered the third force that had been excluded from this entire conflict.
Wolf Team.
Because they stood outside the rivalry between the two sides, never entering the game board, everyone had subconsciously overlooked Wolf Team's existence.
They were the world's third-ranked team—their strength couldn't be underestimated, and they had substantial financial backing.
Plus, with years of accumulated experience, they had their own loyal fanbase. Even without winning the championship, it wouldn't really affect Wolf Team.
Isabella suddenly stood up and immediately called Samantha.
"Tonight, I need you to arrange a meeting with Wolf Team. I think it's crucial that we sit down and discuss working together."
Samantha's voice carried a note of concern. "Wolf Team's captain already knows we've been negotiating with Wayne. He was extremely cold toward me today..."
More than cold—hostile.
From their perspective, Samantha—a victim—turning around to collaborate with her abuser was a betrayal of everyone who'd been harmed.
Unforgivable.
"Don't worry. Just go to them directly. I guarantee they'll want to help."
Isabella didn't know where this confidence came from, but standing outside the game board, she somehow felt like she could see the whole picture.
This wasn't just a competition on the track—it was a battle off it.
Who would win depended on whose calculations were more meticulous.
That evening.
Samantha had arranged an elaborate dinner, inviting the entire Wolf Team.
"If you're here to talk about collaboration, I think we can skip it, don't you? You've already surrendered to Wayne and handed him the championship on a silver platter. Are you here to convince us to do the same?"
Glen Stewart, Wolf Team's captain, was another veteran racer with over a decade of experience. In earlier years, he'd led Wolf Team to considerable glory. Though the team's results had always hovered between second and third in the world rankings, they were remarkably consistent.
Samantha gave a soft laugh, raising her glass with a humble demeanor as she faced Glen.
"I'm not here to convince you to roll over for Snake Team. I just want to ask—are you really content to let Snake Team keep suppressing you with these dirty tactics?"
Every team capable of winning had its pride.
Who didn't want to climb higher? Who didn't want to hold that first-place trophy?
But some things weren't about wanting—they were about capability.
Glen's eyes were as cold as the snow outside the window. "So what exactly are you proposing? Want us to form some kind of victims' alliance? Don't tell me all this maneuvering is about avenging Zack."
Romantic's true captain had been injured so severely he was still wheelchair-bound. Who could easily forget that kind of grudge?
But Glen thought Samantha's scheming was laughable.
They might have the courage to compromise, but Wayne certainly had the ability to strike back.
No one could guarantee their plan was foolproof.
"I can't promise everything will go perfectly. But what if we had living, breathing evidence?"
"What do you mean?" Glen's eyes narrowed with suspicion.
The server pouring wine behind him suddenly removed her cap, long hair cascading down.
Glen jumped, turning to look—and froze the instant he saw her face.
Isabella, supposedly missing, stood before him alive and well. And judging by Samantha and Richard's unsurprised reactions, they'd known all along.
They'd known Isabella was alive!
Another server removed his cap, smiling as he greeted Glen.
"Glen, long time no see. I figured you'd want to see us."
To convincingly play a server without drawing attention, Joseph had removed all his usual accessories. Today he looked remarkably low-key.
The other Wolf Team members were equally stunned, staring wide-eyed at the pair who'd suddenly materialized.
"Sorry to appear like this—probably gave you quite a shock. But this plan requires Joseph and me working together to execute it. I can promise you this: Romantic will never lose, and Snake Team will never get the championship they're after."
Isabella spoke the words like an oath.
Yet something in her voice made Glen believe her.
"We've already purchased that wrecked car. It's still sitting in the junkyard. All we need is the right opportunity, and we can ride that momentum to pull Snake Team down from their pedestal—destroy them completely." Isabella smiled as she spoke.