Chapter 3

I sat in the car and looked at my leg, which had just had its cast removed just a while ago. Suddenly, I felt sorry for myself.

If Noah hadn't persuaded me to participate in the qualifying race, citing its importance for the club's reputation, I would never have thought of entering it. The reason was that I had just been sick days before. I had had a massive headache and had taken painkillers to ease the pain.

Races like qualifyings put a huge strain on the racers' mental and physical strength. They were quite dangerous, so accidents often happened.

However, the medal I'd fought so hard to win turned out to only be a tactic for Noah to placate his latest lover with.

I took a photo of my divorce license and sent it to Ingrid. She immediately asked us to meet up by the lakeside.

It wasn't until I reached the place that I realized she'd brought along plenty of her other racing friends to have a bike race.

The huge motorway next to the lakeside was very seldom used by the public, and one end of it was currently lined up with huge, expensive superbikes. There were many young men and women there, chatting and joking with each other.

I stopped in my tracks and said, "I haven't fully recovered yet…"

"Nobody's asking you to drive. There are plenty of guys here for that!"

I only learned then that the rules of the race were simple—each guy had to choose a female partner to race.

A few pairs were already couples with each other, so they naturally planned to race together. There weren't many single men left in the line.

Ingrid then pulled me to the side and said in a hushed tone, "What do you think of Asher Princeton? He usually doesn't come even when invited. You're lucky today!"

A towering man in a racing suit was standing at the barricade with his back toward me. He was half-leaning against the barricade as the sun shone on his back. He gave off a clean yet ethereal feeling to anyone looking at him.

Slowly, he turned around to face us. I realized in glee that he looked exactly my type.

Ingrid then pushed me toward him. "Hey, Asher! Bring Lexy with you!"

Asher smiled as he gave me the once-over. His eyes were clear, and his voice was deep and soothing.

"Okay."

Ingrid then winked at me and said, "Don't let this chance slip by!"

Asher brought out a pink helmet and made sure to check it thoroughly before helping me put it on. He even pulled on the safety clasp to ensure that there was nothing wrong with it.

"Are you scared?"

It suddenly dawned on me that Noah had never treated me so gently ever since we got together, even if I had still raced in countless other races after that. He would only stand at the podium far from the top as he mingled with other club owners and elites.

He never once cared if my gear or equipment was safe or faulty, and he never personally checked anything. He was only ever concerned about my results and how much glory or benefit they would bring to his club.

I felt a sudden rush of emotions at Asher's question.

I shook my head and said, "Actually, I'm a professional racer. I just don't ride bikes that often."

Asher seemed surprised. He then replied lightly, "That's great! We can go full speed then. Hang on tightly to me!"

I knew just how fast these superbikes could go, so I hugged him as tightly as I could.

Asher started up his bike, and the engine roared to life. I could feel Asher's extremely muscular waist beneath his racing suit. His muscles were as hard as steel, and I could even feel each pec individually through the suit.

His racing skills were quite a contrast to how he looked—he was the aggressive type as he sped down the trail, quickly throwing the rest of his opponents behind him.

I had always been the one driving before this. This was actually the first time I'd been a passenger princess.

The wind screeched past my ears, and Asher's woody scent also invaded my senses gently yet assertively.

Asher chuckled. "Relax. You're too tight…"

I only realized then that I was clinging so tightly to him with my arms that he was probably having a hard time catching his breath.

I knew what he was trying to say, but I couldn't help my mind going straight into the gutter when I heard his ambiguous words. I got so embarrassed that I quickly loosened up my grip on him.

There was a sudden swerve up ahead, and I suddenly found my face smushed up against his back. Our positions got a little intimate. There were just two layers of thin clothing between us, and I was pretty sure that he must have realized my face was burning as if pressed against him.

As expected, we placed first in the race.

The prize turned out to be a dozen packs of beer.

I cracked open a can and raised it toward Asher to celebrate our win.

Racers rarely ever drank. I was particularly bad at holding my alcohol, but since I was a free bird now, I threw my head back and gulped the rest of the contents down.

Things happened right after that.

I felt so dizzy that I stumbled backward, and Asher had to catch me.

Ingrid then exclaimed, "Oh no! Lexy's terrible with alcohol. Can you please bring her back for me, Asher?"

I cocked my head to the side and stared up at him, who was also looking down at me. His eyes were gentle yet entirely focused on me.

"Alright."

His voice sounded heavenly. I could feel my insides melting into a puddle.

Noah used to tell me that I was very unladylike in my behavior. He kept saying that I was only a pretty face who would scare any other men away as soon as I opened my mouth.

For the past few years, I kept burying myself in work, trying to prove that I was worthy. However, the only thing I got in return was Noah's betrayal, time and time again, as he brought home different women who were more "ladylike" than me and showed them off.

It felt like a hundred years had passed since anyone had looked at me so tenderly as if I were the main focus of their attention.

When I finally got down from the bike, I swung my arms around his neck and found myself getting up on my tippy toes to kiss him on the chin.