Chapter 1

For six years, I dedicated myself to Gregory Carter’s racing team. I wasn’t just his best driver and chief engineer—I was also the lover he kept in the shadows. He promised, "Win the national championship, and I’ll give you a home."

The night before the finals, I brought coffee to his office and overheard his cold words: "Iliana Reed? She’s wild—good for winning races, but that’s it."

"And for fun? Sure, she's okay, but she's not someone you'd introduce to the world."

"Rosemary is the woman I’m going to marry. She’s refined, gentle, perfect for the Carter name."

Six years of devotion vanished in an instant. On the day of the finals, I saved his life in a moment of crisis and ended up losing everything. When his new love humiliated me publicly, he gave me a disinterested look and walked away. He thought that was the end of my story.

A year later, I returned to the track as the champion driver for a new team. Gregory knelt before me, begging forgiveness. I just laughed coldly, "Gregory, you don’t regret hurting me; you only regret losing me."

For six years, I had given my all to Gregory Carter’s racing team. From underground garages to international arenas, I witnessed all his pride and ambition.

"Win the national championship, and I’ll give you a home." That was Gregory’s promise.

The night before the finals, I carried two cups of coffee to his office, hoping to talk about our plans after the race. The door was ajar, and I heard Gregory laughing inside.

"Iliana Reed? She’s wild, she only knows racing; she’s fun for now." The coffee burned my hands, and I nearly dropped the cups.

"Someone like her should stay in the background."

"Rosemary is the woman I’ll marry. Refined and gentle, perfect for the Carter legacy." Six years of emotion dissolved instantly. My heart felt like it had been run over by one of his racecars, crushed and broken.

I wanted to confront him, but then I saw Rosemary nestled in his arms. The fondness in Gregory’s eyes was never for me. I turned and left, the coffee spilling on the floor. Today was my birthday, and no one remembered. That morning, I woke up alone, not even a text.

I thought he was busy preparing for the finals until I saw the wrapped gift on his desk. The label "For Rosemary" stung my eyes. Her birthday wasn’t for another month.

In six years, he never remembered my birthday. I knew all his important dates. I swallowed my emotions and asked about his wedding plans after the finals.

"Iliana, don’t make a scene now. Focus on winning first." He didn’t even look at me. Racing was always more important than me. I forced a smile, pretending everything was normal.

My phone vibrated with a team photo from a friend. Gregory stood in the center, Rosemary holding his arm, wearing my signature racing suit.

That red and black suit, emblazoned with the team logo, had always been mine. And I wasn’t in the picture. My hands trembled as I stared at the photo.

Rosemary strutted into the lounge. "Iliana, your racing suit looks better on me, Gregory said so." She held up my limited-edition helmet. "This is mine now too."

I bit my lip until I tasted blood. Rage coursed through me, but I couldn’t react. That afternoon, during the media interview, Gregory was dashing in his suit, exuding charm.

"Rosemary is my biggest supporter," he said, his gaze tender. "Without her, there wouldn’t be a Carter Racing Team today." And I, supposedly a leading driver, was barely mentioned.

"Iliana will help us achieve great results." A simple sentence, as if referring to an insignificant prop. I demanded to know why Rosemary was wearing my racing suit.

Gregory approached coldly, wrapping an arm around Rosemary. "It’s just clothing; why make a fuss? Don’t scare Rosemary." His words were like knives.

I suddenly understood that for six years, I’d been deceiving myself. I was just a pawn in his business empire.

That night, I went to the garage to fine-tune the car and overheard Gregory talking to his manager.

"Once Iliana wins the championship, let her go—say she doesn’t fit the team."

"With the team’s value up, we don’t need the risk of someone with her unpredictable background."

"The Butler family is on board; the marriage will bring even greater investments."

I leaned against the wall, feeling as if my blood had turned to ice. I was just a stepping stone on his path to success. Discarded once used.

I entered the garage, touching the car that had been with me for six years. The engine’s roar was the most familiar sound.

Tomorrow’s final might be my last drive for Carter Racing, but it won’t be the end for me. Since he only cared about the championship, I’d let him see exactly what he’d lose.