Chapter 77

Brinley eased into the driver's seat, clicking her seatbelt into place as her phone buzzed.

The name "Austin" lit up the screen, and after a brief pause, she swiped to pick up.

"Where are you?" Austin's rich, steady voice came through.

"I just left the Housing and Urban Development Department," Brinley replied, turning the key in the ignition. "Did you see those rumors floating around online?"

A faint shuffle of papers sounded from Austin's end."Yeah. Do you want me to handle it?"

Brinley's fingers tightened around the wheel.

She knew Austin could squash the gossip effortlessly,but that wasn't her style.

"No,I've got this," she said quietly. "I signed up for the exhibition race-so this mess is on me to clean up."

A brief silence followed, then a soft chuckle. "How do you plan to handle it? Learning more about racing from the book 'Racetrack Engineering Analysis' that you borrowed from me?"

Brinley's cheeks flushed, a touch of embarrassment hitting her. "Stop teasing me. I'm thinking of having PR drop some training shots and tie them to old interview pieces to shift the narrative."

"Fair enough, I'll stop," Austin said, his tone growing serious. "Where are you practicing? Do you need someone to look out for you?"

"No need to bother," Brinley replied quickly."I've got some old friends helping me out."

She definitely didn't want to run into Austin at the track, especially not while she was there only as Brinley, without her professional facade.

Austin's voice stayed even. "Stay safe then, and come home early tonight. I had the chef whip up some soup for you."

"Got it," Brinley said, ending the call swiftly

She sank back in her seat, staring out at the fading twilight and letting out a slow breath.

Austin's easygoing demeanor always masked his knack for hitting her weak spots. Instead of heading home, she steered toward a racetrack on the city's edge.

Less isolated than her previous spot, it was perfect for someone "new" to practice in.

She had already told Jensen to stash the red racecar and bring out a plain white one instead.

As she pulled in, Jensen was waiting by the entrance with a young guy in work gear.

"Brinley, meet my cousin, Fenton Miller. He used to be a racing team technician, and he will help you train,"Jensen said, nodding toward the young man.

Fenton, looking barely out of his teens and a bit shy,gave a quick nod. "Nice to meet you,Brinley."

"Thanks for helping out," Brinley said with a warm smile.

Jensen clapped Fenton's shoulder. "Make sure she gets the hang of the car, and keep things smooth."

Then, leaning closer to Brinley, he lowered his voice."Rosara, I saw the stuff online. If you need backup,just say so."

Her heart warmed, and she nodded. "I'm good, don't worry." Sliding into the white car's driver's seat, Brinley took a deep breath.

This car was far less powerful than the red one, but that was the point-it screamed "beginner."

Fenton settled into the passenger seat, calmly guiding Brinley through the car's controls and features. "The brakes are a bit loose, so you'll want to ease into them before corners," he advised.

Brinley nodded, absorbing his words with focus,intentionally keeping her driving cautious to mimic a beginner's skill, even pausing slightly at turns

Fenton remained patient, offering soft corrections whenever she slipped up.

After a few laps, she started to settle in, gradually picking up speed and handling corners with smoother precision.

While nowhere near the expertise of Rosara, her performance was believable enough to avoid looking like a total rookie.

"You're getting the hang of it quick, Brinley," Fenton said with genuine admiration.

She flashed a smile, about to reply, wvhen a familiar black Maybach caught her eye at the track's entrance. Her pulse raced, fingers tightening on the wheel

Why was Austin here?

The Maybach's door swung open,and Austin stepped out,his sharp black suit clashing with the track's grimy,oil-soaked vibe yet somehow commanding every gaze.

He strode directly toward them, and Fenton quickly hopped out to greet him. "Mr. Moore," he said respectfully

Austin gave a brief nod, his eyes locking onto Brinley through the window with a subtle smirk. "It seems like you're coming along nicely."

Brinley stepped out of the car, brushing dust off her clothes with practiced nonchalance. "Hardly. I was just fumblingthroughsomepractice.Whatbringsyouhere?"

"I was nearby and figured I would swing by," Austin said, his gaze flicking to the white car. "This car doesn't really match you."

"I'm a beginner. A high-end car would be overkill,"Brinley replied.

He let out a soft laugh, not pressing the point, and turned to Fenton. "How is she doing?" "Brinley has got real skill and picks things up fast,"Fenton replied honestly.

Austin nodded, his eyes drifting back to Brinley."Want to take my car for a spin?"

She hesitated, glancing at the Maybach, and quickly waved it off. "No way, I'm not ready for fancy cars."

"Not the Maybach," Austin said, nodding toward a sleek silver-gray sports car parked at the entrance,clearly worth a small fortune. "That's my practice car.It has solid performance."