Chapter 131
He paused for a moment, then spoke again.
"Boss, I know you're an amazing driver. I'm begging you, okay? Come race for me—just this once!"
Charlotte pressed her lips together. "Send me the address. I'm on my way."
Jason's voice crackled with excitement through the phone before he quickly hung up.
Staring at the darkened screen, Charlotte pressed her lips together again, grabbed her car keys, and left.
……
Half an hour later, a low-key black SUV pulled up at the entrance to the West Suburbs Speed Racing Circuit.
The place used to be an abandoned industrial park until Jason bought it and converted it into a private underground racing venue.
Right now, the massive open-air lot was blazing with lights. More than a dozen high-end supercars worth a fortune were parked haphazardly around the perimeter. Engine roars rose and fell in waves, and the heat blasting from exhaust pipes made the air itself feel scorching.
Charlotte pushed open the car door and stepped out. A black baseball cap shadowed most of her face, revealing only her sharp, delicate jawline.
"Boss! Over here!"
Jason, who'd been waiting at the entrance, recognized her instantly and ran over.
Gone was his usual polished appearance. Sweat beaded his forehead, his leather jacket hung crooked, and he looked thoroughly disheveled.
"What happened?"
Charlotte asked as they walked toward the rest area.
Jason's face twisted at her question.
"It's Douglas Parker!"
"He brought a crew here to set up bets. Everyone was just messing around at first, but he doesn't play fair! He brought some retired professional rally driver from overseas!"
"I've already lost three races in a row. I've lost half my shares in this racetrack, and he still won't back off. He keeps yelling that he wants me to get on my knees and beg him!"
"It's absolutely ridiculous!"
As they talked, they reached the starting line at the center of the track.
A crowd of sketchy-looking young men and women had gathered in a circle around a modified blue Ferrari.
A burly guy with a brutish face sat on the hood, one arm around a scantily dressed woman, smoking a cigarette. His posture screamed arrogance.
"Well, well, Jason. Is this the backup you brought? A woman?"
"Don't go crying when you lose, okay?"
His words triggered a chorus of harsh, mocking laughter from the crowd. Clearly, they didn't think much of Jason or Charlotte.
Jason's face darkened. "Douglas, don't push it."
Douglas let out a dismissive snort, his lips curling downward.
He took a long drag from his cigarette and slowly exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes roaming over Charlotte's body with open contempt.
"Jason, I think you're just desperate now, aren't you?"
"Bringing a woman as your shield? Can't believe you'd sink that low!"
"What, are you planning to have this 'chick' race Upton in bed to see who finishes faster?"
"Douglas! Watch your damn mouth!" Jason's face flushed red with rage. He jabbed a finger at Douglas and shouted, "I was racing before you even knew how to play in the dirt!"
"Charlotte? Never heard of her." Douglas smirked dismissively. He flicked his cigarette butt onto the ground, jumped down from the hood, and strode over to Charlotte. He reached out a hand, trying to flick up her baseball cap.
"Come on, let me see what you look like."
"If you're pretty enough, how about this—when you lose, you come play with me for a bit. I'll even give Jason back his shares in the racetrack. Sound good?"
Charlotte watched coldly as his hand drew closer. Just as his fingers were about to touch the brim of her cap, she moved.
The crowd barely saw a blur. The next second, Douglas let out a piercing scream and doubled over like a shrimp, his face instantly draining of color, sweat beading across his forehead.
But Charlotte didn't let go. In one smooth motion, she twisted his arm behind his back and slammed him face-down onto the Ferrari's hood.
"If you don't want to keep that hand, I can take care of it for you!"
Charlotte's voice was ice-cold, her jaw tight.
The mocking laughter around them cut off abruptly.
The rich kids stood frozen like ducks with their necks wrung, eyes wide with shock as they stared at the scene.
None of them had expected this slender-looking woman to strike so brutally.
Finally, the bodyguards snapped out of it and surrounded her.
"Let go of Mr. Parker!"
Seeing them about to move in, Jason's expression shifted. He immediately called over his own crew from the racetrack and stepped in front of Charlotte.
"I'd like to see anyone try!"
Douglas, pinned to the hood, hissed in pain, his face dark with fury.
He'd never been humiliated like this in his entire life in Imperial City.
"You bitch! You've got nerve!"
"If you dare touch me, you won't walk out of this place alive!"
Hearing his threat, Charlotte let out a cold laugh and pressed down harder.
"Ah—stop! It hurts!" Douglas screamed.
"Douglas, I don't have time to waste fighting you!" Charlotte looked down at him with icy disdain. "Whatever Jason lost to you, I'll win it back. You want to bet against me? How about it?"
Douglas sucked in a breath and shot a venomous look at Upton, his professional racer.
Upton met his gaze and nodded.
As far as Upton was concerned, Charlotte might have some fighting skills, but when it came to racing, she was just an amateur.
"Fine! You said it!" Douglas gritted his teeth through the pain. "The mountain loop. Three laps! If you win, Jason gets back all the shares he lost, plus this Ferrari—it's all yours!"
"But if you lose…"
A flash of lecherous malice crossed Douglas's eyes. "I want you to break one of your own hands, then get on your knees and serve me for a week. Sleep with me every night. How's that?"
Jason panicked. "No way! That's completely unfair!"
The mountain loop was the most treacherous section of the track—nine turns, eighteen hairpins. One wrong move and you'd plunge off a cliff.
Even experienced drivers could easily crash there at night. Absolutely not!
"Deal."
Charlotte released him, pulled out a wet wipe from her pocket, wiped her hands, and tossed it in Douglas's face.
"Get the car ready. Let's race now."
With that, she headed toward the black Mustang.
Watching her walk away, Jason hurried after her, his voice thick with barely suppressed worry.
"Charlotte, that mountain loop is way too dangerous. Especially that 'Death Curve'—it's a series of downhill hairpin turns right next to a cliff. This is…"
"Relax." Charlotte cut him off, her tone crisp and decisive.