Ethan was probably busy with Zack, drinking some coffee and having fun.

    He wasn''t the type to show up for things like this, and if he was watching, it was probably out of boredom rather than interest.

    Still, the thought lingered, irritatingly stubborn.

    A deafening roar of engines brought her back to the moment.

    The massive digital screen above the stadium displayed the countdown, massive numbers flashing red as they ticked down.

    Five.

    Her fingers twitched slightly against the wheel.

    Her car vibrated beneath her as she revved the engine, the power surging through her like an extension of her own body.

    Four.

    The audience screamed in anticipation, the sound merging with the low hum of thousands of cameras broadcasting across the world.

    Three.

    Vanessa glanced at the competition, each driver locked into their own world, some adjusting their visors, others rolling their shoulders.

    Every single one of them was a force to be reckoned with.

    Two.

    Her foot hovered over the accelerator.

    One.

    The lights flashed green.

    The stadium exploded with cheers as thirty cars launched forward, the raw power of their engines ripping through the track like a thunderstorm.

    The sudden burst of speed pressed Vanessa into her seat, her vision narrowing to the road ahead.

    The first turn was brutal.

    Tires screeched as the racers fought for position, some nearly colliding in the chaos of the launch.

    Vanessa remained cold and calculated — she had already studied the way these drivers operated.

    Some were reckless, pushing too hard at the start, while others played defensively, preserving their fuel and tires.

    She went for the gaps — the small openings left by overzealous drivers too focused on fighting each other.

    By the end of the first turn, she had climbed from twelfth to eighth place.

    "Vanessa Carter is making early moves!" One of the commentators shouted over the broadcast. "Look at that precision — she''s slicing through the pack like a knife!"

    She barely heard them.

    Her focus was locked onto the road ahead, on the next opportunity to push forward.

    The wind screamed against the car as they hit the first straightaway.

    Vanessa shifted gears, the acceleration roaring through her as she pushed past two more racers, moving into sixth place.

    The next turn was a wide curve, an area where positioning mattered just as much as speed.

    Vanessa took the inner lane, braking just enough to maintain control while the racers on the outer lane skidded dangerously close to the track''s edge.

    And then there were the ones behind her.

    She could feel it.

    The shift in the race.

    The moment she had moved into third place, she had become a target.

    A glance at her side mirror confirmed it.

    Three racers, all in close formation, were gaining on her.

    Vanessa gritted her teeth.

    She recognized them — drivers who weren''t just here to win, but to play dirty.

    Liam Cruz, a cocky American racer known for running opponents off the track.

    Carlos Me?ndez, a veteran with no hesitation when it came to using his bumper.

    And Rina Volkova, a ruthless Russian driver who had been disqualified from two previous races for "accidental" crashes.

    And now, all three were eyeing her like a pack of wolves.

    ''Tch.''

    They wanted to take her out.

    Vanessa refused to let them.

    The track twisted ahead, leading into a dangerous S-curve — one of the trickiest sections of the entire race.

    It was a sharp double turn that required precise handling.

    A perfect opportunity for an ambush.

    Carlos made the first move.

    He cut into her lane, forcing her to adjust her speed.

    Vanessa didn''t panic.

    Instead, she smoothly braked for just a split-second, letting him move ahead slightly.

    He thought he had boxed her in.

    He was wrong.

    The moment he tried to close the gap, she switched gears and accelerated hard, using the inside of the turn to slingshot past him.

    Carlos swerved, barely regaining control as she left him behind.

    One down.

    But Liam and Rina were still hunting her.

    Vanessa kept her focus razor-sharp.

    She had to be smart.

    She wasn''t just fighting for position — she was fighting to stay in the race.

    If she made one mistake, she would be out of the race before she even blinked.