Betrayed By The Billionaire

134

The scene at Team Swift was a nightmare of metallic groans and human desperation. Coach Lee and Vince stood amidst the wreckage, their faces ashen and lifeless, while the remaining staff struggled in vain to maintain order against a mob of panicked drivers and students.

Chloe Bishop surveyed the c*****e with a cold, simmering fury. The sight of the mangled race cars—the very heart of the team she had just joined—made her blood boil. She grabbed Frank, the veteran fleet manager, her voice sharp with intent. "I'm Chloe Bishop, the new driver. Tell me, who did this?"

Frank looked at her with hollow eyes. Coach Lee had told the staff about her arrival just yesterday, but now, that hope felt like a cruel joke. "Ask the Coach," Frank replied, his voice breaking. "Swift is finished. The losses are too great; there’s no recovery from this. You’d better find another team, Miss Bishop. There’s nothing left for you here."

Frank disappeared back into the fray, his shouts for calm swallowed by the rising tide of angry demands.

Chloe bit her lip, turning back to where Xavier Grayson stood holding Liam Jr. "The facility has been raided," she said in a low, tight voice. "Every single car is destroyed."

Xavier’s reaction was characteristically frigid. He adjusted his cufflink, his eyes barely scanning the chaos. "Then let’s go," he said, turning to leave.

But just as Xavier moved, Vince’s voice boomed over a megaphone, cutting through the noise. "Everyone, calm down! Fighting gets us nowhere! Can you give us a moment of silence so we can provide a solution?"

The roar of the crowd dipped into a tense, vibrating murmur. Vince handed the megaphone to Coach Lee.

The old man took several ragged breaths before speaking. His voice was weary, aged by decades in a single morning. "I will be selling the facility. You don't need to worry about your money. Every contract will be paid out in full, and every tuition fee refunded. Not a cent will be missing."

"How long do we have to wait?" a driver yelled.

"One week," Coach Lee replied. "One week at the latest."

"A week?" another man shouted, stepping forward. "What if you sell the land and skip town? Who do we hunt then? No, you sell it today. I know the owner of Team 666 has been sniffing around this place for months. Call him now!"

"Yeah! Call him now! Sell it today!" the mob chanted.

Vince pointed a trembling finger at the two men leading the chant. "Rowan! Marcus! You traitors! How much did Team 666 pay you to stir this up?"

The crowd ignored him, the rhythm of "Call him! Call him!" growing louder. It was a perfectly executed trap by Yuvraj, the owner of Team 666. By forcing a sale under these chaotic conditions, Coach Lee would be stripped of any bargaining power, forced to sell the most valuable land in the city for a fraction of its worth.

Coach Lee closed his eyes, his spirit finally extinguished. He didn't care about the price anymore. He just wanted the nightmare to end so he could finally face his late son, Ethan, in peace. Ethan, I’m sorry. I couldn't protect your legacy.

With shaking hands, he reached for his phone.

"Coach, don't do it!" Vince pleaded. "Don't fall into Yuvraj’s trap!"

"He's right, Coach," Frank added. "We still have options!"

"No," Coach Lee whispered, his eyes bloodshot. "I don't have the strength to fight anymore."

"Call him! Call him now!" the mob pressed in.

Chloe watched the scene, her heart racing. She turned to Xavier, her mouth opening to beg for his help, for his influence, for his bottomless capital to stop this tragedy—but before she could utter a word, he spoke first.

"Go," Xavier said, his voice a cool, commanding silk.

Chloe stared at him, confused. "You want me to go in there? Right now? Alone?"

Xavier gave her a sideways, chilling look. Without another word, he turned and climbed back into the luxury sedan with Liam Jr., leaving Chloe standing at the edge of the wreckage by herself.

Xavier has essentially thrown Chloe into the fire. By refusing to step in personally, he is forcing her to use her own wits to save Team Swift. If she fails, Coach Lee loses everything. If she succeeds, she proves she is more than just a socialite. Can Chloe Bishop stop a desperate man from signing away his life’s work?