Chapter 139 The Bet
An icy stillness seemed to grip the air, a chill that belied the scorching sun above, as if it could freeze all creation.
Myron Curtis’s lips twisted into a mischievous smile, his elegant fingers rhythmically tapping on his knee.
"Good, very good."
Luann pinched the bridge of her nose, a look of resignation on her face.
"So, what now…"
Before Myron could speak, Big John blurted out with boyish enthusiasm, "Jump in!"
"Everyone's dying to see you compete!"
Luann looked distracted.
In that moment, two figures hurried over.
Breathless, Holly Weiss stopped in front of Luann and started panting.
"I came as soon as I heard the announcement."
Eddy, eyeing Myron’s brooding expression, silently sympathized with Alvin Curtis and decided to vouch for him, considering the free meals for six months.
Holly pulled Luann aside, whispering, "There are quite a few fans of yours here today."
"I'm not sure how you got signed up, but now that it's done, why not show them what you've got?"
"Otherwise, someone might get wind you backed out and make a fuss online… You don't need that kind of drama."
Holly's phone vibrated. She swiftly checked it, her expression changing subtly, and then showed it to Luann.
"Look at that, only ten minutes later and there's already buzz about you," Luann Weaver glanced at the screen, finding a trending post titled "Local Celebrity Dabbles Unabashedly in Diverse Trades."
It was all about how Luann Weaver, known primarily as a pianist, had shown up to compete at a racing event.
"Is this race open to everyone? Count me in too!" one chimed in.
"Come on, is this really something to get mad about?"
Luann sighed deeply, "Forget it, I'll just go for it. As long as my foot injury isn't fully healed and I don't finish last, it's all good."
Holly Weiss nodded vigorously.
She pulled Luann away and called over her shoulder to Myron Curtis, "Prince, I'm whisking away your princess now, okay?"
Myron just muttered deeply in response.
Watching their figures disappear into the distance, Eddy couldn't help but tease, "Wonder what place Luann Weaver will finish in."
Myron glanced over with a half-smiling, half-mocking look, "There's a project in Europe I need to liaise with soon."
The abrupt shift in topic made Eddy dumbfounded, "Then you should take some time to go there."
"I can't. I have to be with my wife.You go in my stead."
With a forced smile, Eddy protested, " What gives? If you're busy, I'm busy too. I've got my own woman to woo."
Myron mused, "Is that so? But you seem pretty free to me, otherwise you wouldn't have colluded with others to sign Luann up for the race."
The smile disappeared from Eddy's face.
"You... You knew?"
"Wrong, I didn't help him. By the time I saw it, Alvin Curtis had already registered!"
Myron leisurely responded, "Oh, so it was Alvin Curtis."
Eddy was stunned, then it hit him.
"Damn it, you're bluffing?!"
There were others who could have tampered with Luann's information, Holly Weiss included.
Myron wasn't sure.
He casually picked up his phone and scrolled through it.
"I've booked your flight. You can come back in two weeks."
Eddy's face turned ashen. He slumped into a chair.
Sure enough, getting involved with Alvin Curtis, that fool, only meant trouble.
...
The racers' backstage gathering spot was buzzing with over a dozen competitors loosening up and chatting. As Holly Weiss arrived with Luann Weaver, all eyes were instantly on them.
"I didn't expect to see two beauties gracing the track this year."
"Man, that's a beautiful ride; I almost hate having to compete against her!" The man with the name tag chuckled heartily, his tag displaying 'Charlie.' He looked to be in his mid-twenties, with a hint of rugged handsomeness.
Luann Weaver and Holly Weiss didn't so much as give them a glance, moving aside to put on their own tags.
Charlie approached swiftly, giving Luann a tap on the shoulder and a flirtatious wink. Luann paused momentarily, then reached into her bag and handed him a bottle of blue eye drops.
"Huh?" Charlie was momentarily baffled.
"Looks like you've got something in your eye. It's my last bottle, but you can have it," she said, pressing the eye drops into his hand and pulling Holly with her toward a corner of the room.
Charlie, trying to act cool, followed them. "Hey, ladies, no rush," he called out playfully. "You're new to the competition, right? Haven't seen you around before. There's a couple of things you might wanna know."
Holly gave him a sideways glance. "And you've been here a lot?"
Charlie nodded, thumping his chest with confidence. "Every year, for three years running. I'm one of the most experienced contenders around here. If you need any tips, just ask me!"
He leaned in closer to Luann. "And during the race, I'll be sure to take it easy on you."
Luann discreetly stepped aside, maintaining a polite but firm distance. Holly quickly moved in front of Luann with a defiant stare. "Back off."
Charlie just chuckled. "Don't be scared, I'm not a bad guy."
Holly eyed his smug grin. "Maybe take a look in the mirror before you say that again."
As Charlie was about to retort, a stern voice came from behind. " Hey, pipe down, Charlie. You're making a racket."
The once boisterous Charlie immediately clamped his mouth shut, looking tentatively at Peter with a mix of fear and admiration before taking a seat obediently to the side.
Holly couldn't help but let out a giggle.
The room buzzed with excitement as someone called out, a tinge of envy in their voice, "Here we go, here we go! Bets are rolling in! Holy smokes, they've got Car God North up to ten million already!"
Luann and Holly exchanged a look and walked over to the electronic display showcasing all twenty racers' names. The numbers below each were shooting up in real time. And there, leading the pack by a wide margin, was Peter.
Holly Weiss leaned in toward Luann Weaver and said, "These are official bets organized by the event coordinators. They'll let the audience place their bets half an hour before the race kicks off."
"The minute Peter showed up, everyone's money was on him," Luann remarked.
The odds for the other eighteen competitors were dismal at best.
Luann's numbers were barely respectable; a modest show of support from a group of loyal fans gave her enough credibility to appear as somewhat of a contender.
But then, out of nowhere—
The numbers stuttered momentarily before exploding from a five-figure sum to an eight-figure giant.
In one bold stroke, her stake soared from ten thousand to fifty million, leaving Peter in the dust!
