Chapter 7

The moment Stellan regained his composure, he immediately drove Aurora out. Well, Aurora didn't mind. At least he would never forget this birthday. That hug he didn't push away was proof enough. Aurora left the Croft residence and went to find Flynn. Flynn was already reckless on a normal day. Whenever Danica provoked him, he became even more reckless. He liked to vent by engaging in extreme sports like racing, diving, and skydiving. Within the elite circle of Duskvale, there was something called the "Death Race". Just as the name suggested, participants had to sign a death waiver before racing. Many racers had died from participating in the Death Race. Even someone like Flynn had only participated once. Back then, he had taken part in it on the day Danica left the country. Flynn had signed up for the race and nearly lost his life. This time, when he heard that Danica was planning to leave again, he showed up at the Death Race track once more. At the racetrack, Aurora ran over and blocked Flynn just as he was putting on his helmet. "Don't do this, Flynn!" The crowd in the stands laughed when they saw Flynn being stopped by a woman. Flynn's expression soured, and he pushed her aside impatiently. "Get lost!" Aurora stumbled but quickly got back up. She snatched the helmet from his hand and said, "If you're determined to race, then race against me!" The laughter from the crowd grew louder. "No way, is this woman crazy? Is she serious about racing against Flynn?" "Do you even know how to drive?" "She's probably here to get herself killed!" But Aurora's expression was unwavering. "Race me. Or are you scared to do it?" Flynn stared coldly at her face before finally letting out a bitter laugh. "Fine, I'll race you. You'd better not regret it." Aurora changed into a racing suit and walked toward the track with Flynn. Soon, the race began. Flynn's car shot forward with speed, and Aurora followed closely. Still, she trailed behind for the first two laps. The spectators watching were convinced that Aurora had no chance of winning. It wasn't until the final lap that things changed. At the most dangerous section of the race—a point that required extreme skill to navigate—even Flynn slowed down. But Aurora thought this was her chance to overtake him and sped up recklessly. She floored the gas pedal, ignoring the obstacles ahead, and charged forward like a mad woman! "She's insane!" "With the way she's driving, she's going to crash!" Everyone was shocked, and even Flynn watched with disbelief as Aurora overtook him at the curve. Although she crossed the finish line before him, her car was sent flying by the immense force of the maneuver. A loud crash shook the racetrack! The spectators all shot up from their seats in shock. Aurora's racing suit was stained red. Blood dripped from her forehead and leg. Flynn shouted angrily, "Are you trying to kill yourself?" Aurora, whose face had gone completely pale, replied weakly, "I just didn't want you to get hurt. If someone had to die in the Death Race, I'd rather it be me." Flynn was stunned by her words. Aurora managed a weak smile. "Since I won, can I ask for a favor?" Flynn assumed she would ask for money, so he nodded without thinking much. But Aurora looked at the beauty mark beneath his eye and asked softly, "Can I… touch it?" Flynn froze. Aurora had risked her life to win the race, and all she wanted was to touch his beauty mark. Since Flynn didn't object, Aurora took it as permission. She reached out and gently touched the bright red beauty mark beneath the corner of his eye, her eyes glistening with tears. Standing before Aurora, Flynn felt the intense emotion in her eyes. He had always looked down on her. But at that moment, the depth of her feelings inexplicably tugged at his heartstrings. ... Time passed, and as expected, none of the three men explicitly said they wanted to cut ties with Aurora completely. Even though Danica had not yet left Duskvale, they tacitly agreed to keep Aurora's identity a secret. However, Aurora didn't get to see them much. To Taylor, Stellan, and Flynn, Danica was still the most important. Aurora understood this all too well. Aurora had heard about Danica holding an art exhibition before she left the country. As she hadn't seen the three men for a couple of days, she couldn't resist going to the art exhibition on the day it opened. She was positive that they would be there, so she decided to go there to find them.