Chapter 1

Taryn Vant was a popular, stunning racer. Because she was great at racing, her admirers could wrap around the Earth three times. Nevertheless, she never gave any of them the time of day. Meanwhile, Zane Wilder was a naturally gifted racer and also Taryn's arch-nemesis. In public, the moment they appeared in the same space, they were always at each other's throats, as if they wanted to destroy one another. In private, though, they kept getting pulled back to each other. At first, Taryn believed that Zane felt the same—that they shared an unspoken, mutual understanding about their relationship. It stayed that way until the day she saw him walk onto the racetrack holding another woman's hand. … Taryn was a popular, stunning racer in the industry. In just five years, she had collected countless championships. Because she was beautiful and cool, her admirers could line up around the racetrack ten times over. Countless people fell for her, but she never cared. None of them caught her interest. Everything stayed that way until one day, when Zane, a naturally gifted racer, joined Redline Motorsports. The moment the two met, they were already at each other's throats. Whenever they crossed paths, they clashed instantly. On the racetrack, Taryn would sneak a puncture into Zane's tire, and he would retaliate by taking apart her engine. The two of them always looked ready to destroy each other. It wasn't until later that everyone learned he wasn't just her rival—he had been her sworn enemy since childhood. Yet somehow, their families had still arranged a marriage between them. On paper, they were legitimately engaged. What no one knew was that although they fought during the day, they were intimate at night. It was as if they wanted to merge into one. Just minutes earlier, they had a round in the lounge. Legs still unsteady, Taryn pulled on her racing suit. Underneath the fabric, her skin was covered in hickeys. She took a deep breath and forced herself to focus. She still had a race that afternoon, so she couldn't afford to slip. Just then, a phone on the couch lit up, catching her attention. Zane had been called away by Eliot Hall, their coach, and because it was sudden, he had forgotten to take his phone. Taryn reached for it instinctively, planning to give it back to him later. However, in the next moment, an incoming message drew her eye. The message read, "Everything is set. It's race car No. 27. The woman is pretty good, but she's no match for Ms. Vant. Is she really your girlfriend?" Taryn felt her head buzz. Even her body trembled. Ignoring the fact that it was Zane's phone, she tapped the message, and a chat history was displayed before her eyes. A moment later, her eyes turned red. With a click, the lounge door opened. Seeing the phone in Taryn's hands, Zane frowned. Without a word, he walked over, took the phone, and turned to leave. Staring at his back, she rasped, "Aren't you going to explain? Who's Bernice Holt? If she's your girlfriend, then what am I?" Zane frowned and turned around. Confused, he said, "I thought you knew. Aren't we just sleeping together? You told me yourself that you would never marry me and that we're going to break off the engagement sooner or later. As for Bernice, she isn't my girlfriend yet. I'm pursuing her." Taryn was stunned. Her fingertips grew cold. Sleeping together? Was that all she was in his eyes? Her eyes stung, but she held back her tears. Zane subconsciously reached for a tissue but then hesitated mid-air and lowered his hand. He added, "Since you've found out, I should make this clear. Bernice is joining Redline Motorsports. From now on, we shouldn't sleep together anymore. After all, what happened between us was an accident, and it needs to be corrected." Taryn turned her head so that Zane wouldn't see the tears slipping down. She whispered, "Sure. We're done as long as you can end the engagement." Zane looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he left the lounge without another word. Staring at the closed door, Taryn sank to the floor. Her expression twisted with pain as she smiled bitterly. So, she had been the only one who took this relationship seriously. Their first time had been an accident. They had been drunk at a party and were shoved into the same room after everyone learned they were engaged. Because they weren't sober, they slept together. By the time they woke up, it was too late to undo anything. After that, it just kept happening. Neither of them talked about it, but the understanding was mutual. They left traces of their love in nearly every hidden corner of Redline Motorsports.