Chapter 3

The Underground Racing Arena was alive with energy—engines roared, neon lights flashed against the night, and the air smelled of fuel, sweat, and danger. Ang hiyawan ng mga tao, ang tunog ng makina na parang halimaw na handang kumawala, at ang lagkit ng tensyon sa paligid ay sapat para iparamdam sa lahat na ngayong gabi, may isang laban na hindi dapat palampasin.

At sa gitna ng lahat ng ito, dumating si Cinderella.

She walked in like she owned the place—mataas ang noo, walang takot sa mga matang tumingin sa kanya, at may dalang misteryo na nagpainit sa paligid. Suot niya ang isang black leather racer jacket na bumagay sa kanyang matangkad at balingkinitang katawan. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her back in perfect waves, habang ang emerald green eyes niya ay matalim na tila binabasa ang bawat kaluluwa na tumingin sa kanya.

From a distance, Chase watched her arrival. Isang mapanuring tingin ang ibinigay niya bago marahang umiling na parang hindi makapaniwala. "You actually showed up," aniya na may bahid na amusement at pag-aalinlangan sa tinig.

Cinderella smirked. "Did you ever doubt me?"

Chase exhaled. "You know what you're doing, right?"

"I always do," she said smoothly. Then, her voice dropped an octave. "Nasaan siya?"

Chase glanced across the track and pointed. "Doon. Sa kabilang side."

Cinderella followed his gaze—at doon niya nakita ang lalaking matagal na niyang gustong makita.

Nero Vergara.

Nakatingala ito na kaswal na nakasandal sa kanyang matte-black Ferrari F80 na parang isang hari sa gitna ng kanyang kaharian. Sa suot nitong black dress shirt na bahagyang nakabukas ang unang dalawang butones ay kitang-kita ang tigas ng dibdib niya. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing his veined forearms—strong, dominant, and impossible to ignore. Sa isang kamay ay hawak niya ang isang baso ng whiskey, habang sa kabilang kamay ay isang sigarilyo na mahina ngunit tuloy-tuloy ang pagsunog sa dulo.

He was effortlessly powerful. Lahat ng kilos niya ay tila pinlano na walang pag-aaksaya ng enerhiya, walang galaw na hindi kinakailangan. At ang kanyang mukha? Damn it. Sharp jawline, dark brooding eyes, and lips that looked like they had whispered a thousand dangerous promises. He was the kind of man women lost themselves in—and he knew it.

Napahinto sila nang makita si Cinderella—kahit ang mga kaibigan ni Nero, mga beteranong racer, mga lalaking sanay na sa bilis, panganib, at sa mga babae—ay hindi naiwasang mapako ang tingin sa kanya.

Cinderella walked with the kind of confidence that didn’t demand attention—it commanded it. Every step she took was deliberate, her presence an unspoken challenge.

Maraming nagbulungan. May mga sumulyap sa isa’t isa, tila nagtatanong kung sino siya. Ang iba naman ay tahimik na nakamasid, puno ng pagtataka at pagkamangha. Dahil sa isang mundo kung saan ang mga babae ay madalas nasa gilid lang, bihirang may isang tulad niya na hindi lang basta naglalakad papunta sa gitna—kundi isang babaeng tila sinisindihan ang buong lugar sa kanyang presensya.

And then, just like fate itself, Nero looked up.

Their eyes met.

For the first time.

Parang may sumabog na hindi nakikita. Hindi ito simpleng pagkakatitigan lang. Cinderella felt it in her bones, the undeniable pull between them. And judging by the way Nero's grip subtly tightened around his whiskey glass, he felt it too.

For a moment, the world faded. Wala nang sigawan, wala nang tunog ng makina. Ang natira lang ay ang dalawa nilang presensya, naglalaban sa isang silent war na pareho nilang hindi pa lubos na naiintindihan.

Chase smirked knowingly na nasa gilid niya. "Try not to drool, C."

Cinderella rolled her eyes but didn’t deny anything. "Just introduce me already."

Chase stepped forward and catching the attention of Nero and his group. “Vergara,” he called out. “I want you to meet someone.”

Nero, still lounging in his casual yet dominating stance, took a slow sip of his whiskey. He barely spared Chase a glance at first, looking utterly uninterested—until Chase’s tone changed. Parang may kutob ito na hindi ito basta-bastang pagpapakilala.

And then, finally, he looked at her again.

Cinderella stepped forward, her heels clicking against the pavement, each step measured and confident. The neon lights caught the soft sheen of her lips, the sharp cut of her jawline, and the fire in her eyes.

Cinderella Fuentabella was no ordinary woman.

And Nero Vergara? He was no ordinary man.

Sa pagitan nilang dalawa, isang hindi maiiwasang labanan ang nagsimula—walang salita, walang galaw, pero punong-puno ng tensyon. Hindi siya tinigtignan ni Nero tulad ng ibang babae—hindi siya isang prize na kailangang kunin, hindi siya isang bagay na dapat pag-aari. Instead, Nero looked at her like she was a challenge. And damn it, he loved challenges.

His lips curved into a smirk. "And who, exactly, am I meeting?"

Chase smirked back. “Vergara, meet ‘C.’”

No last name. No unnecessary details. Just a single letter, as if that was all Nero needed to know.

And maybe it was.

Nero’s dark eyes gleamed with interest. "C, huh?" He took another slow sip of his whiskey, his gaze never leaving hers. "That’s all I get?"

Cinderella shrugged, her lips twitching with amusement. "Seems fair. You only gave me Vergara."

A low chuckle escaped from Nero. Deep. Dangerous. “Oh, but my name carries weight." He tilted his head slightly. "Yours? Not so much.”

Instead of being insulted, Cinderella just took a single step forward. The distance between them shrank, and she tilted her chin up. “Give it time,” she whispered. “By the end of the night, you’ll remember my name more than you remember your own.”

The men around them let out low whistles, sensing the heat between them.

Nero’s smirk widened.

This woman was trouble.

And he was more than ready to play.

“So, C,” he drawled, eyes gleaming with something dark and unreadable. “You here to watch? Or do you actually race?”

Cinderella chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Cute. You think I’d be here just to watch?”

Nero arched a brow. “So, you’re the one challenging me?”

Cinderella crossed her arms. “Problem?”

Instead of answering, Nero took a step closer—so close that the scent of his expensive cologne mixed with the smoky whiskey on his breath. “No problem,” he murmured. “I just hope you’re ready to lose.”

Cinderella smirked, matching his intensity. “Oh, Vergara,” she whispered, voice like silk. “I never lose.”

A slow, dark grin spread across Nero’s face.

He didn’t doubt her.

He just wanted to see her prove it.

And God help him—he was looking forward to it.

"You talk big, sweetheart," Nero mused, eyes darkening as he studied her like a puzzle he was dying to solve. "I hope you drive even better."

Cinderella smirked, leaning in slightly—just enough for him to catch a whiff of her intoxicating scent. "Hope?" she echoed. "That sounds dangerously close to doubt, Vergara."

The way she said his name—like a dare, like a promise—sent something dark and electric coursing through him.

Stone and the others exchanged looks, clearly fascinated by the mysterious woman who dared to challenge Nero Vergara, of all people.

“So, C,” Stone drawled, leaning back against a sleek black car. “Which team are you with? Who’s backing you?”

Cinderella smirked. “I don’t need a team.”

Stone let out a low whistle. “Damn. Lone wolf, huh?”

Nero took a slow sip of his drink before eyeing Chase. “And you just let her walk in here and throw a challenge like that?”

Chase exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. “She insisted.”

Nero’s smirk deepened. “She must be used to getting what she wants.”

Cinderella leaned in slightly, her voice dangerously soft. “Always.”

Saglit silang natahimik. Isang segundo lang. Pero sa loob ng isang segundong iyon, walang gumalaw, walang umatras. It was a battle of unspoken words, isang tahimik na labanan sa pagitan ng dalawang taong parehong hindi marunong magpatalo.

Nero didn’t know what it was—the fire in her eyes, the sharp edge of her confidence, or the way she refused to be intimidated by him—but something about her was different.

Dangerous.

And he couldn’t look away.

“Alright,” Nero finally said, setting his glass down on the hood of a car. “If you’re so confident, let’s make this interesting.”

Cinderella raised a brow. “Oh?”

Nero leaned in, his breath fanning against her skin. “Winner takes whatever they want.”

A slow, almost wicked smile curled on Cinderella’s lips. Perfect.

She took a step forward, closing the space between them just enough to make it deliberate. She tilted her head, her voice dripping with confidence. “Be careful what you wish for, Vergara.”

Nero let his lips curve into a smirk of his own. “Then let’s not waste time,” he said smoothly. “I’ll be waiting at the starting line."

Cinderella gave him a slow once-over before flashing him a devilish smile. "Try not to cry when I leave you in the dust."

At tumalikod siya, lumakad palayo nang hindi man lang nililingon si Nero. Every step she took was precise, powerful—her hips swaying in a way that felt more like a warning than an invitation.

Nero watched her go, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips.

Damn.

He had seen beautiful women before. Hell, he had owned beautiful women before. But this?

This was different.

He didn’t know who she was, but one thing was certain.

He was definitely going to find out.