Betrayed By The Billionaire

138

Chloe stood there in a daze, seriously questioning if her brain was functioning at full capacity.

In the modern business world, any entrepreneur becomes hyper-sensitive at the mere mention of "land." They think of value, development, and appreciation. But to her? The word "land" had been nothing more than four letters on a page. She had completely missed the forest for the trees.

Xavier looked at her with a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes—a classic expression of mockery. "And you actually expect to take over the Bishop Group with that head of yours? Are you worried the company is doing too well and want to drag it down personally, hmm?"

Chloe bit her lip, unable to offer a single word of defense.

Xavier sighed, looking at the woman before him who seemed a bit "silly" in her confusion. He raised his large hand again, reaching toward her face. Remembering the earlier flick to her forehead, Chloe squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of another small pain.

However, Xavier’s hand stopped just an inch from her cheek. He paused, his fingers hovering in the air for a heartbeat, before he abruptly pulled back. The trace of amusement in his eyes was instantly replaced by his habitual arctic chill.

When the expected sting never came, Chloe slowly opened her eyes. Xavier’s gaze had already shifted away from her, his voice returning to its cold, detached professional register.

"From today on, you are the Vice Captain of Team Swift. You will manage the team alongside Coach Lee. If you don't achieve a top-tier result in next month's National Qualifiers, I will hold you personally accountable."

With that, he rolled up the window. The luxury sedan pulled away, quickly disappearing from the wreckage of the track.

Chloe stared at the receding tail lights, her brow furrowed. How does this man change his mood faster than a racer shifts gears? And more importantly... she was now Vice Captain? Her head began to throb. She had always detested administrative work!

Walking back into the facility, Chloe felt a wave of surrealism. In just thirty minutes, the entire power structure of Team Swift had been overhauled. The "East Palace" had a new master.

Over the next quarter-hour, the police and Feifei arrived almost simultaneously.

While the staff led the officers to collect evidence and document the wreckage, Feifei marched into the courtyard followed by a group of stern-faced representatives from her sponsor companies. She spared Chloe a venomous glance before zeroing in on Coach Lee.

"I heard the Swift fleet was decimated," Feifei said, her voice dripping with arrogance. "I have two high-performance cars sitting in your garage. How exactly do you plan to compensate me?"

Coach Lee stared at the woman he had once treated like a daughter. His gaze was hollow. "I’ve already notified the Motor Sports Association to send an appraiser. You are free to inspect the damage. We will compensate you based on the actual repair costs as determined by the official report."

Feifei’s face twisted with rage. "Those were brand-new cars! They were sitting safely in your care and now they’re scrap metal. The National Qualifiers are next month—what am I supposed to drive? You either pay me the full market value in cash right now, or you find me two identical, pristine replacements immediately."

Coach Lee’s expression remained frozen, his eyes filled with a deep, weary disappointment. "That’s not happening. If you aren't satisfied with the official appraisal process, feel free to sue me. I'll see you in court."

He wondered how he could have ever been so blind to think this woman was the future of his team.

Feifei was momentarily stunned into silence. As a public figure and a rising star in the racing world, the last thing she wanted was a prolonged, messy legal battle. Moreover, she had been trained and elevated by Coach Lee; if she sued her own mentor for a freak act of vandalism, the public backlash—accusations of being "ungrateful" and "heartless"—would drown her career.

Seeing her hesitation, the sponsors' lawyer stepped forward with a heavy-handed tone. "Even if we go to court, you are legally obligated to provide Miss Feifei with two equivalent racing vehicles for her training in the interim. If her performance is hindered and she loses her standing, the resulting financial damages will fall squarely on your shoulders."

Coach Lee didn't even look at him. He stood up, walked into his office, and locked the door behind him.

"Lee! Where are you going? Get back here!" Feifei tried to follow, but Vince the Mechanic stepped in her way.

"We’ve filed the police report," Vince said firmly. "The Association is on their way. We will follow the legal protocol to the letter. Whatever the authorities decide is what we will do."

Chloe stepped forward then, watching Feifei with a slow, deliberate calmness. "Alternatively," she said, her voice smooth and melodic, "you could always file a claim with your insurance. Though... I wonder if you’d actually dare to do that?"

Feifei’s head snapped toward Chloe, her eyes narrowing. "Chloe Bishop, what exactly is that supposed to mean?"