Chapter 40

Andrew’s car wasn’t anything special. It had a small engine, just about one hundred and eighty-four horsepower. Compared to that, John’s car was a monster—three hundred and forty horsepower, a beast that should have left Andrew’s little car eating dust.

By all logic, by every rule of physics, John should have been the one speeding ahead, leaving Andrew trailing far behind. His car had the power, the speed, the performance. Everything about it screamed victory.

So then, how in the world did Andrew just shoot forward like a bullet, leaving John struggling to catch up?

The crowd watching the race stood frozen, their jaws practically on the floor.

No one had seen this coming. Not even in their wildest imagination.

When the race started, everyone had already made up their minds about the outcome. Andrew was supposed to be the loser. There was no way he could win against John’s powerful machine. Yet, in a matter of seconds, Andrew had taken the lead, his car flying past John’s as if it had been launched from a catapult.

It wasn’t just that he passed John—he didn’t just overtake him. He left him so far behind that by the time John reached the turning point at the end of the road, Andrew was already on his way back!

And then, before John could even process what was happening, Andrew crossed the finish line.

It was a landslide victory.

The entire crowd burst into cheers. They couldn’t believe their eyes.

John, on the other hand, felt like the ground had disappeared beneath him. His stomach twisted in knots as he finally reached the turning point and forced his car to complete the race.

By the time he made it back to the starting point, the race was long over. Andrew was already standing there, grinning, surrounded by Clara and the cheering crowd. It was as if they had already forgotten John was even in the race.

John gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. His entire face burned with humiliation.

How?!

Since when did a weaker car outperform a stronger one?

That didn’t make any sense!

No, there had to be an explanation.

John’s mind raced, searching for answers. And then it hit him—Andrew must have cheated!

That was the only way this could have happened!

There was no way a basic BMW outran his high-performance car unless Andrew had secretly modified it.

That had to be it.

Fury boiled inside him as he slammed his car door open and stormed toward Andrew.

“You cheated!” John’s voice rang through the air, dripping with rage. His finger jabbed at Andrew accusingly. “You must have modified your car! There’s no way you won fair and square! This whole race was rigged!”

Andrew, still calm, smirked and crossed his arms. “Oh? Weren’t you the one who said this race wasn’t about the car? That it was all about skill and courage? Now that you lost, you want to change the rules?”

John’s face twitched. He tried to come up with another excuse, something—anything—that could make this situation less humiliating for him.

“No, it’s not that!” he snapped. “You just… you didn’t play fair!”

Loretta, who had been watching the entire event unfold, scoffed. “John, are you really going back on your word right now? You were the one who made the bet. You even said that whoever broke it would bring disaster upon their family. Now you’re trying to back out?”

The crowd that had once supported John instantly turned against him.

“John, you’re such a sore loser!” someone yelled. “You were the one who challenged Andrew. Now you can’t even accept the results?”

“Exactly!” another voice called out. “You said yourself that the car didn’t matter, but now that you lost, you’re making excuses? That’s pathetic.”

A girl in the crowd shook her head in disappointment. “I used to think John was a man of his word. Guess I was wrong.”

Laughter rippled through the audience.

“Yeah! If Andrew had lost, John would have made him stick to the bet. But now that he lost, he’s trying to squirm his way out of it? What a hypocrite!”

John’s face turned bright red, then green, then red again.

This was a nightmare.

He had spent over seven hundred thousand dollars on this car. He had only had it for a month! He had treated it like a newborn baby, obsessively cleaning it, refusing to let even a speck of dust land on it.

And now, because of one stupid bet, he was supposed to throw fireworks inside and destroy it?

The mere thought made his stomach twist painfully.

But one look at the crowd told him that if he backed out now, his reputation would be ruined.

His so-called friends would turn their backs on him.

Worse—his name would become a joke.

He would forever be remembered as the guy who lost and ran away.

Andrew clapped his hands, snapping John out of his thoughts. “John, don’t worry about it. It was all in good fun. Your car is expensive, so if you don’t want to do it, we can just forget about the bet.”

John’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

But before he could feel relieved, whispers spread through the crowd.

“Wow, Andrew is such a gentleman. He’s actually letting John off the hook.”

“Yeah, and John is proving to everyone that he’s a coward.”

John’s blood boiled. He gritted his teeth, fists clenching at his sides.

Who said he was a coward?

Fine. If they wanted fireworks, they would get fireworks.

He snatched the fireworks from Colby’s hands and stormed toward his car.

Without hesitation, he threw them inside, pulled out a lighter, and lit the fuse.

“Everyone, watch this!” he yelled. “I’m not a sore loser! I don’t need Andrew’s pity!”

The moment the fireworks ignited, loud pops and cracks filled the air.

At first, it was just bright flashes and deafening noise.

Then, the smoke started to build inside the car.

The crowd cheered and laughed, many pulling out their phones to record.

Then, the sparks caught onto the leather seats.

And just like that—fire.

John, who had been standing there with his arms crossed, smirking, froze in horror.

The flames spread like wildfire, licking up the dashboard and swallowing the seats.

The crowd gasped.

“Wait—oh no! Somebody put it out!” John’s voice cracked as he rushed forward.

He had thought it would just be a little damage, nothing serious.

Something he could fix with a few thousand dollars.

But now, his entire car was on fire!

Panic set in. He fumbled for his phone, his fingers shaking as he tried to call the fire department.

The flames roared louder, crackling hungrily.

By the time the fire trucks arrived, it was too late.

John’s car—his prized possession—was nothing but a burnt shell.

He dropped to his knees, staring at the wreckage in disbelief.

If he could go back in time, he would never have challenged Andrew.

Not for any amount of money.

Not even if someone put a gun to his head.

Not only had he lost his reputation, but he had also lost his most prized possession.

Colby gave Andrew a subtle thumbs-up before turning to John with a grin. “Well, buddy, no use crying over it. How about we head inside for dinner?”

John wanted to disappear. His pride was shattered. His car was gone.

But if he walked away now, it would mean Andrew had completely won.

And John refused to give him that satisfaction.

Taking a deep breath, he straightened his back and forced a grin. “No big deal. A bet’s a bet, and I honored it.”

His friends quickly jumped in.

“Yeah, John’s rich. This is nothing to him.”

“Exactly! It’s just a car.”

With that, they all walked into the restaurant as if nothing had happened.

Inside, the banquet tables were neatly arranged, and a banner celebrating the grand opening hung proudly.

But as Andrew leaned back, smirking, he had a feeling this wasn’t over.

John might have lost the race and his car, but there was no way he would let this go.

And Andrew?

He was more than ready for whatever came next.