18 Trackside Truths and a Rival’s Allure
Elara’s POV
The grandstand vibrated with the roars of the engines and the crowd’s excitement as Elara made her way through a sea of enthusiastic spectators. She scanned the bustling arena, trying to spot Ethan among the racers preparing at the starting line.
“Come on!” Ethan waved enthusiastically from the front row of the spectator section. His earlier racing suit was gone, replaced by casual jeans and a t–shirt. “You won’t be able to see anything from back there!”
Confusion crossed Elara’s face. “I thought you were racing?”
Ethan laughed, shaking his head. “My heat finished twenty minutes ago. I placed third!” His eyes gleamed with pride. “The main event is about to start. Vixen’s racing tonight!”
“Vixen?” Elara asked, settling reluctantly into the seat beside him.
“Only the best female driver on the amateur circuit,” Ethan replied, his voice filled with admiration. “She’s incredible–fearless, precise, completely untouchable on the track.”
Elara checked her watch. “Ethan, your mother sent me to bring you home. We really
should-”
“Just one more race!” Ethan pleaded, his expression so earnest that Elara was reminded of Cora when she begged for five more minutes of playtime. “You can’t leave without seeing Vixen race. It’s like watching magic happen.”
A collective hush fell over the crowd before erupting into thunderous applause. Elara
turned toward the source of the commotion.
A woman in a striking red racing suit strutted toward her vehicle. Her helmet was tucked under her arm, revealing a cascade of dark hair that caught the stadium lights. Her movements were deliberate, confident–almost predatory. She acknowledged the crowd with a casual wave that somehow managed to seem both dismissive and
appreciative.
“There she is!” Ethan practically bounced in his seat. “Isn’t she amazing? Look at that
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swagger!”
Elara’s stomach twisted with hunger pangs. She’d skipped dinner to rush to the speedway on Victoria’s orders. “I can barely see her from here.”
“Here,” Ethan thrust a pair of binoculars into her hands. “You have to see her up close.”
Sighing, Elara raised the binoculars to her eyes and adjusted the focus. The woman’s face came into sharp clarity, and Elara’s breath caught in her throat.
Vivienne Dubois.
Her half–sister’s piercing eyes swept the crowd with cool detachment. Her perfectly sculpted features were set in an expression of confident determination. The red racing suit clung to her curves like a second skin, making her look both dangerous and alluring.
“She’s unbelievable,” Ethan continued, oblivious to Elara’s shock. “Always so focused, like nothing else in the world matters but the race.”
Elara couldn’t pull her gaze away. In all the years she’d known about Vivienne, she’d never seen this side of her rival–this raw, unapologetic power that radiated from her every movement. It was mesmerizing, even to Elara.
“She’s going for her fifth straight win tonight,” Ethan explained enthusiastically. “Nobody’s been able to touch her since she started competing six months ago.”
Elara lowered the binoculars slightly. “Six months ago…” she murmured. That aligned perfectly with when Damien had become even more distant.
On impulse, she panned the binoculars across the VIP section. It didn’t take long to find what she was looking for–Damien Thorne, standing tall and imposing in an expertly tailored suit, his eyes fixed on Vivienne’s every move.
The intensity of his gaze made Elara’s chest ache. In seven years of marriage, he had never once looked at her with such raw admiration.
She adjusted the focus again, taking in more details. Beside Damien stood Cora, bouncing with excitement as she waved a small red flag. The entire group of Damien’s friends surrounded them–all here to support Vivienne.
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“Vixen’s going to crush it tonight, Ethan said, nudging Elara with his elbow. “The track conditions are perfect for her driving style.”
Elara lowered the binoculars, her fingers trembling slightly. “How often does she race
here?”
“Every other weekend,” Ethan replied. “Though the rumor is she’s going pro soon. Too
talented to stay amateur.”
The announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers, introducing the racers. When Vivienne’s name was called, the crowd erupted. Elara watched as Vivienne raised her helmet above her head in acknowledgment, soaking in the adoration like it was her birthright.
Elara glanced back toward Damien. His expression had softened into something she had never seen before–pride mixed with something deeper, more intimate. Beside him, Cora jumped up and down, calling out a name that was lost in the roar of the
crowd.
“Her performance stats are insane,” Ethan continued, pulling Elara from her
observations. “She’s got the fastest reaction time on the circuit. Watch how she takes the first turn–it’s masterful.”
The engines roared to life, drowning out any possibility of conversation. Vivienne slid into her car with practiced grace, her movements fluid and confident. She pulled on her helmet, adjusted her mirrors, and settled into position.
The starting lights flashed, counting down from red to green. The cars shot forward, a
blur of color and sound.
Ethan grabbed Elara’s arm. “Quick! Use the binoculars! You’ll miss it!”
Almost against her will, Elara raised the binoculars again. Vivienne’s car–a sleek red machine as bold as its driver–was already positioned perfectly for the first turn.
“Watch this!” Ethan shouted over the engines‘ roar.
As the pack of cars approached the first sharp curve, Vivienne made her move. While others slowed or took the safer outside route, she dove toward the inside line, Her timing was impeccable, her control absolute. The car drifted through the turn with
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18 Trackside Truths and a Rival’s Allure
mere inches to spare, overtaking two competitors in one smooth motion.
The crowd went wild. Elara couldn’t help but gasp.
“Did you see that?” Ethan shouted, his face lit with excitement. “That’s why they call her Vixen! Fearless and cunning!”
Elara kept the binoculars trained on Vivienne’s car as it accelerated out of the turn, already hunting down the next competitor. There was something hypnotic about watching her drive–the perfect balance of calculated risk and technical skill.
Panning back to the VIP section, Elara found Damien again. His eyes never left Vivienne’s car, his expression a mixture of tension and pride. When she executed another daring pass, his lips curved into a smile that reached his eyes–a genuine reaction that Elara had rarely witnessed.
Cora jumped with excitement, clutching Damien’s hand. They looked like a perfect father–daughter pair, sharing in the joy of watching someone they both clearly adored.
The race continued, Vivienne steadily working her way forward through the pack. Each move was more impressive than the last–threading impossible needles, anticipating her competitors‘ actions before they made them.
“She’s going to do it again!” Ethan shouted, grabbing Elara’s arm in excitement. “Five in
a row!”
As Vivienne crossed the finish line in first place, the crowd erupted. Elara watched through the binoculars as Vivienne pulled off her helmet, dark hair spilling free. Her face was flushed with victory, eyes bright with adrenaline, lips curved into a knowing smile that seemed to say she’d never doubted the outcome for a second.
The cameras captured her triumphant expression on the giant screens around the track. Elara lowered her binoculars slowly, staring at Vivienne’s magnified face.
In that moment, watching both Vivienne’s undeniable skill and Damien’s transfixed admiration, something shifted inside Elara. A piece of understanding slotted into place -painful but clarifying.
Suddenly, she understood why Damien was infatuated with Vivienne. It made perfect
sense.
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This wasn’t just about beauty or charm. Vivienne possessed something far more powerful–a magnetic confidence, a fearless approach to life that demanded attention. On the track, she was glory personified, taking risks that others wouldn’t dare and making them look effortless.
Elara turned to look at Ethan, who was still cheering wildly. Even Damien’s brother had fallen under Vivienne’s spell without knowing her true identity.
“Ready to go now?” she asked quietly, her.voice nearly lost in the continuing roar of the
crowd.
Ethan turned to her, his face flushed with excitement. “Are you kidding? That was incredible! Did you see how she-”
“I saw,” Elara interrupted gently. “But we should really head back before your mother sends out a search party.”
The mention of Victoria dimmed Ethan’s enthusiasm slightly. He nodded, though his eyes lingered on the track where Vivienne was now accepting a trophy, her smile dazzling under the stadium lights.
As they made their way toward the exit, Elara took one last look at the VIP section. Damien was making his way down to the winner’s circle, Cora’s hand firmly in his. They were going to celebrate with Vivienne, as a family.
The family that Elara had once desperately hoped to build with Damien, but never
could.
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