Chapter 5
882 Words
Hazel had been recuperating in the hospital for more than two weeks, and in all that time, Christian hadn't visited once. Still, she couldn't help but catch fragments of news about him whenever the nurses paused to chat near her door.
"Dr. Blake's been in surgery nonstop," one would say. "And he's been checking in on Miss Spencer in the next ward, too."
Occasionally, he sent his junior resident by with food. But he never once showed his face.
It didn't matter anymore.
She was ready to cut ties with him for good.
As soon as she felt strong enough, Hazel checked herself out.
The moment she stepped through the door of her apartment, her phone buzzed with a message from the racing club.
"Hazel, there's a competition tomorrow. We went ahead and signed you up, hope you're in."
"The Horizon Rush. We all know you've got this."
The name alone made her heart lurch.
When she'd first fallen in love with racing, her grandfather was the only one who truly understood. She could still hear his voice cheering her on from the stands, steady and proud through every high-speed turn.
After he passed, racing became her anchor. Her way of holding onto him.
Before he died, he'd made her promise to follow her heart. To chase the glory she deserved.
She drew a slow breath, her gaze steadying.
She would go.
That evening, she quietly laid out her gear for the next day's race.
Then, unexpectedly, Christian walked through the door.
His eyes landed on the racing suit draped over the chair, his expression unreadable, calm, distant, untouchable.
"You're racing again? You just got out of the hospital."
Hazel stepped closer, tilting her head to look up at him. A flicker of warmth crept into her voice, tentative and small.
"Yeah. If you're worried I might crash... why not come watch?"
In the old days, no matter how packed his schedule, he'd always find time to be there.
But this time, he wouldn't meet her eyes.
"I have a surgery tomorrow."
The last spark in her chest died.
She understood now. The surgery wasn't the reason. Liora was.
The next day at the track.
Dressed in her racing suit, helmet tucked under her arm, Hazel was about to head to the starting line when she saw him.
Christian. Here.
For one fleeting, foolish moment, her heart stumbled.
"You came?" The words slipped out before she could stop them, soft, hopeful, against all reason.
Then Liora stepped out from behind him, her face bright and sugary-sweet.
"Hazel, I asked Christian to bring me! I really wanted to see the race."
Hazel's mouth twisted in a bitter smile.
Of course. What had she expected?
She pulled her helmet on, sealing herself inside.
At the signal, she tore onto the track.
She won. Of course she won.
"This year's Horizon Rush Women's Division champion, Hazel Moore!"
She was about to step onto the podium when an official rushed over, face pale.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Moore. There's been an allegation of performance-enhancing drug use. We'll need to open an investigation."
"What? That's ridiculous." Her voice sharpened. "I would never, "
The committee members shifted uncomfortably.
"We're sorry. Per regulations, your title is suspended pending review."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Eyes crawled over her, suspicious, scornful, like ice water down her spine.
She stormed into the surveillance room.
Her fingers flew across the keyboard, scanning footage, hunting for the truth.
Then she found it.
Liora. Slipping into her rest area. Opening a small packet. Emptying it into her water bottle.
The proof was right there.
USB drive in hand, Hazel marched back to the stage, shaking with fury.
"I was set up. It was her, Liora!"
Liora's face crumpled on cue, eyes glistening.
"Hazel, why would you accuse me? I'm just a spectator, I couldn't even get into your area. Is it because I'm close to Christian?"
Hazel held up the drive, her voice like ice. "Then let the committee review the footage. We'll see who's lying."
The crowd stirred.
Then Christian stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Liora. "She didn't do it. I can vouch for her. She was with me the whole time. Neither of us went near your rest area."
Someone in the crowd recognized him.
"That's Christian Blake, heir to the Blake Group!"
"Dr. Blake wouldn't lie. He's got too much integrity."
The weight of his word alone turned the crowd against her.
Hazel stared at him, her voice cracking as she moved closer.
"So you're saying I'm the liar?"
Christian's expression didn't shift. His gaze, cold and flat, made her tremble.
"I'm just stating facts."
Facts.
With two words, he'd made her a fraud in front of everyone.
The committee, eager not to offend the Blake family, snatched the USB from Hazel's hand. Snapped it in two. Dropped it in the trash.
"If Dr. Blake says so, that's good enough for us. Ms. Moore, for use of banned substances, you are disqualified from competition for the next three years."
Hazel bit down on her lip until she tasted copper.
Her chest burned, raw and splintering.
Then blood spilled past her lips.
Her vision blurred.
Her body went rigid, then crumpled.
She hit the ground and the world went dark.
- Writer
