Chapter 228

Author's POV The day of the race finally arrived, bringing with it a whirlwind of excitement and tension. It was a speed competition with substantial prize money on the line—$500,000 for first place, $300,000 for second, and $100,000 for third. Aria found herself flanked by her longtime rivals who seemed to have coordinated their strategy. The moment the race began, they surged forward in tandem, deliberately squeezing her toward the back of the pack. But Aria hadn't claimed so many first-place victories by accident. This petty tactic hardly fazed her. Watching carefully for her opportunity, she seized the moment as they rounded a marker buoy and smoothly overtook them from the right side, her jet ski cutting through the water with precision. "Go JJ!" Lillian screamed at the jumbotron, her voice cracking with excitement. The spectator stands were positioned quite far from the actual race course, making it impossible for competitors to hear any cheers, which was why fans rarely bothered