Chapter 1

Before the Continental Cup rally even began, the group backing my rival threw down a challenge and made us sign a wager agreement.

This wasn't just racing anymore. National honor and interests were on the line.

I had to win.

My fiancée was my navigator, and together we set out on the run.

For three years she'd navigated for me, and we had never lost. I believed this time we'd bring glory to the country too.

I trusted her without question. The instant she called a line, I turned the wheel.

"Kenneth Odom has cancer. This is his last race. He wants to win."

"I'm sorry…"

Her voice was small, but it hit me like thunder.

Which meant the line she'd just called was wrong.

……

She sang while the country burned, and never heard the grief on the far shore.

How could this be?

I couldn't believe my own ears.

Before the race, the higher-ups had come to me and said they wanted to assign someone as my navigator.

I was the one who fought to keep Olivia Shepherd.

I knew Olivia and Kenneth had been classmates, but she was my fiancée. I trusted her.

I trusted that when it truly mattered, she'd know right from wrong.

Besides, her standing was beyond question. She was the daughter of a great family.

Her family would never allow her to make any other choice. Winning was her only option.

If we lost, her family would share in the disgrace.

Never in a thousand years did I imagine she'd feed me a wrong line on purpose.

"What's going on?"

"Why is Walter Perry's car off the route?"

"Is he trying to cut a shortcut?"

"That's no shortcut. It'll only lose him the race."

"Walter Perry, report your situation. Why have you deviated from the set route?"

Mission control was on me at once.

"Walter Perry isn't following my calls. He changed course on his own. I'm trying to reach him."

Before I could get a word out, Olivia had already made her report.

Now wasn't the time to argue.

My car had already fallen behind, and Kenneth was my old rival.

His skill behind the wheel was almost unearthly. With him in the lead, overtaking would be like scaling the sky.

I ignored Olivia, still talking to mission control. Even if it was like scaling the sky, I was going to try.

This race wasn't about personal glory alone.

Olivia couldn't be trusted. She couldn't do the job of a navigator. The road ahead was mine to run alone.

This race mattered too much, and before it started I'd burned the route book into my head, every line of it.

Hit the gas. Go!

The gap wouldn't close. The lead I'd carved out on the last corner was gone.

If I wanted the overtake, the third corner was the one chance that counted.

But…

The third corner was special. Not just because it was hard. I'd crashed on a corner like it once, and it left its mark on me.

No buts. National honor was on the line. There was no room for buts.

Go. Give me everything!

"Walter Perry, have you lost your mind?"

"You take that corner at this speed and the car will fly off the track."

"No one takes this corner better than you. Just drive it clean and no one will blame you."

Olivia's face was cold. "Walter Perry, everyone makes mistakes. I'll admit my communication with mission control had problems. You didn't change course on your own just now, you cracked under pressure and slipped. I'll explain it for you."

"Bring your speed down now. From here just drive it clean. It's fine even if we lose."

"Someone's going to die. Slow down, now."

Mission control had been watching my situation the whole time.

"What's his speed?"

"What are the odds he can make the corner at that speed?"

"Walter Perry, mission control calling Walter Perry. Slow down now. You can't take that corner at this speed."