Samantha's fists clenched around the steering wheel, her mind racing faster than the engine roaring beneath her. The wind bit at her skin as the engine's roar matched the fierce pounding in her chest. She couldn't breathe—not in the way she wanted to. The taste of gasoline and burnt rubber lingered in her mouth, the thrill of the race still fresh, but now it was all just a blur, clouded by the looming weight of the engagement that threatened to suffocate her.
Maxwell. She hated the thought of him. She hated everything about what her father had forced her into, but she hated him the most. The man who believed in rules, in responsibility, and in control. The man who had somehow come into her life and twisted it into something she didn't recognize. The idea of marrying him made her stomach turn.
Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her jacket, the harsh vibration a reminder that the world she was trying to escape from was never too far behind. She pulled off the highway and into a secluded alley, the familiar sound of screeching tires cutting through the silence as she came to a stop. She didn't want to answer. Not yet. She wanted to just sit there for a moment longer and let the chaos of the race fade away.
But her father's name flashed across the screen, and she knew she couldn't escape him forever.
Samantha pressed answer, keeping her eyes trained on the dashboard as she stared at the numbers blinking back at her. "What do you want, Dad?" she asked, her voice cold and distant.
"You're late." The voice on the other end was sharp, laced with frustration. "Again. Don't think for one second I haven't noticed your little disappearing acts. You think I don't know where you go when you leave this house? I know what you're up to, Samantha."
Her heart skipped a beat. "You don't know anything," she snapped back, trying to keep the tremor of fear out of her voice.
"Don't lie to me. You think this is just about you winning a race? No. It's bigger than that. It's about control. It's about power, and it's about the fact that you're not following the rules I've set for you. And you will follow those rules, or I'll take away the one thing you care about."
Samantha swallowed hard, her mind whirling. "You think I care about your money? Your company? Your power?"
"Don't test me, Samantha. You think you're some kind of queen on the streets, but all that will come crashing down the second I cut you off. You'll be nothing. Absolutely nothing. Unless you start acting like the woman you were born to be, not some rebellious little girl pretending to be a racer."
Samantha's hands tightened into fists, a hot wave of fury washing over her. She slammed her palm into the steering wheel, the sound echoing in the small car. "You can't control me, Dad. Not like this. I'll never marry him. Never."
Her father's voice dropped, becoming even colder. "Then you're out. The money, the status, the life you think you want—it's all gone. You'll be left with nothing but the shame of what you've thrown away."
He hung up before she could respond.
The silence in the car felt suffocating. Her heart hammered in her chest as she stared out at the city lights twinkling in the distance. She hated feeling cornered. She hated the helplessness that crept up on her every time she thought about her father's ultimatum.
The one thing she had left was racing. It was the only place she had control, the only place where her skills mattered. It wasn't just about the thrill anymore. It was about freedom. And now, her father was threatening to take that away too.
Samantha took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. If he thought she'd just give up and bow down, he had another thing coming. She wasn't going to let him control her life. She had one last move left.
She grabbed her phone, dialing a number she hadn't called in weeks.
The line clicked, and a familiar voice answered. "What's up, Blaze? You know you've been quiet lately."
"Yeah, I know," she said, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. "I need a favor."
"Anything for you, queen of the streets. What's on your mind?"
"I need a race. And I need it to be big. The biggest one we've ever had."
The silence on the other end of the line told her he was thinking. "You sure about this? After what your dad did? You're putting everything on the line."
"I don't have a choice. But I need to make sure it's big enough that he can't ignore it. I need to prove something. To him. To myself."
"Alright, you got it. But you'll have to talk to Razor. He's been waiting for someone to step up for a while now."
"Razor?"
"Yeah. You know how he is. But if you can beat him, you'll have the whole city on your side. You win that race, and your dad won't have a leg to stand on."
Samantha hesitated, the weight of the decision settling in. Razor was no joke. He wasn't just a rival; he was the kind of racer who played dirty, who didn't care about rules or boundaries. But this was the only way. She had to win.
"Set it up," she said, determination hardening her voice. "It's time to show everyone who runs this city."
She hung up, her heart racing as she started her car and revved the engine, the promise of the race ahead filling her with a sense of purpose. The stakes had never been higher.
But as she drove through the city streets, an unexpected feeling settled in her chest. Was she really ready to risk everything? Was it too late to back down?
The sound of sirens in the distance broke her thoughts, and a chill ran down her spine.
Something wasn't right.
The sirens grew louder, and suddenly, a black SUV appeared behind her. Her heart sank as the reality of the situation hit her: she wasn't just racing against her father or Maxwell anymore.
She was racing against time itself.
With one final glance at the rearview mirror, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator.
The game had changed.
The sound of sirens grows louder, the black SUV closing in fast. Samantha realizes she's not just racing against her father's ultimatum anymore, but against forces more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.