With her helmet on, no one could see the panic and pallor on Felicity’s face.
Luckily, the bike had barely started moving, so they weren’t going fast.
Dames was sprawled across the gas tank, his helmet thudding against the dashboard.
“Ugh! Cough, cough!”
He’d knocked his chest, and now he was coughing, clearly shaken.
“Dames! Really–sit up straight and hold on, okay?!” Felicity scolded, her voice tight with worry.
Seeing that Dames was alright, Felicity let out a quiet sigh of relief. She grabbed a fistful of his jacket to haul him upright, making sure he was seated properly again.
Dames straightened his helmet and shouted, “I’m fine!” His voice was loud, as if to reassure Selene and Daph watching from the curb.
“For crying out loud! What kind of driving is that?!” Felicity muttered, glaring at the car that had almost collided with them and was now pulling to a stop nearby.
The other driver stuck his head out the window, shouting, “Hey, you were driving the wrong side!”
on
“Didn’t you see I’ve got a kid on board, you jerk?!”
The driver threw his hands up in exasperation. “Riding a souped–up bike with a kid? You’re just asking for trouble!”
Felicity shot him the finger. Dames copied her, flipping the guy off with childish bravado.
With effort, Felicity maneuvered the motorcycle out from behind the crumpled guardrail, scowling at the smashed headlight. She’d only come by to see Selene make a fool of herself, and now it was Selene who’d witnessed her own embarrassing mess.
She had no interest in arguing with the driver. Revving the engine, she sped off, leaving the scene behind her.
As their figures disappeared, Selene felt her heart finally settle, her pulse slowing back to normal. She turned to Daph and said, “Let’s head upstairs and finish moving our things.”
1/3
17:38
Chapter 60
From here on out, whatever happened to Dames was no longer her concern.
Watching how attached Dames was to Felicity, Selene quietly steeled herself for the worst outcome.
During this time, Selene and Daph were staying at a hotel.
She’d been hunting for
an apartment–no easy feat, even if she was only looking to rent. She weighed everything: location, layout, the kind of neighbors she’d have.
At last, she settled on a small place, thinking it would make things easier for Daph when she started grade school. In fact, she decided she might as well buy it
outright.
Logging into the Quantum Horizon Capital app, she froze. Nearly eight million
dollars of her assets were listed as frozen!
When Manager Holt picked up her call, he got straight to the point:
“Miss Thompson, I only just received the notice myself this morning. Someone filed a complaint, and the authorities suspect you of insider trading. The Jade Exchange has frozen your funds–over seven point nine million dollars in the market.”
He explained, “The money came from Mr. Vaughn. The Securities Commission thinks his transfer of such a large sum to you looks like he was guiding you to buy various stocks. There could be illegal speculation involved. Once the Commission finishes its investigation and confirm’s your trades are above board, they’ll unfreeze your account.”
Selene protested, “I used my own stock analysis program to predict which shares would rise after the economic measures. That’s all.”
Manager Holt actually laughed. “Do you really think the Commission will believe that–from, no offense, a housewife? Even if you show them this so–called program, how can you prove you wrote it yourself?”
Selene’s voice was firm. “If I place in the ALI Math Competition, would that prove I’m capable? That contest’s reputation should count for something.”
Manager Holt chuckled, amused. “Do you even know the ALI Math Competition is the top contest in the country? Miss Thompson, you? Win a prize? Don’t kid yourself! You probably wouldn’t even understand the questions.”
Selene persisted, “I’ll provide the Commission with proof.”
The preliminary results for the ALI Math Competition would be announced next
213
17:38
Chapter 60
Tuesday. Only with a top ranking from the country’s most prestigious competition could she prove to the Commission that all the trades were her own work.
Monday, city hall:
Harrison stepped out of his car and immediately spotted Selene. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes.
Was she wearing makeup?
Her lips shone with a glossy polish, her fair complexion smooth and flawless.
Chapter 61
Chapter 61
