Chapter 33

News reached Britton's team, and Rylie heard it too. She let out a sharp laugh. "They want to investigate me? I haven't even dealt with what they did back then."

Out on the racetrack, the judges and drivers had already gathered. As Rylie arrived, someone from Phillip's team pointed at her. "She was our racer. She's been a key part of our lineup for years. She knows our system inside out."

Rylie crossed her arms, a bitter smile pulling at her mouth. "Is that so? Then how come my name's not listed among your champions?"

The judges went through the records. They found nothing. "In the official race entries, the only female member from your team was Stacey Kirk," one of them said. "Rylie appeared only as a substitute. She wasn't even technically qualified to race under regulation."

In the crowd, fans from Phillip's side started shouting for an explanation. They demanded answers from both the judges and Rylie. Some even threatened to have Britton's team disqualified.

The noise grew louder. Rylie grabbed the nearest microphone. A loud feedback screech cut through the tension. All eyes turned to her.

She looked at Phillip's team without flinching. "Yes, I raced with them. Every season. I was there from their very first win. But why is it only today, after | switched teams, that I broke a racing record? The truth is, I never got to finish an official race. I was always subbed in, just to stall for Stacey, so she could cross the line and take the win. They got the titles. They stood on the podium. I wasn't even allowed in the photo."

Her voice remained even as she continued, "The trophies were earned with my laps, but never meant for me.So why is it a crime to leave? Why should I stay loyal to people who never treated me like a real teammate? Britton gave me a real spot. I ran the final leg, I crossed the finish line, and I won a race that actually counted. If you were me, would you stay with Phillip's team? Or would you choose someone who saw your worth?"

Everything she said cut straight to the point. There was no defense left for Phillip's side.

People in the crowd were stunned.

They went back and reviewed old race data. Rylie had been in every championship. She was always the fastest one. She built their lead every year. In contrast, Stacey's results were consistently poor, always at the bottom. Had it not been for Rylie, who widened the gap with other racers, Stacey wouldn't have been able to win first place.

The crowd began to understand. "So Phillip's team kept winning, but never broke a record because Stacey was slowing them down."

"No wonder Rylie's lap shattered the record. She was the reason they won at all."

"And she wasn't even listed as an official member? No contract? No rules binding her? Then she's free to switch teams."

More and more voices turned on Phillip's team.

"What a joke. She carried them for years, and they didn't even let her on the podium."

"Same team, same race. Yet only Stacey got the spotlight. That's not a team. That's favoritism."

The crowd started calling them out. Members of Phillip's team stood frozen, their heads down,unable to respond.

Not long after, the judges made their ruling. Britton's team would keep their victory. Rylie's membership was confirmed as valid.

Phillipo had never faced such a crushing loss. But he had no way to deny it-everything Rylie said was true. He had never imagined that she would care so deeply about being left out.

The crowd wasn't quiet about it either. Every shout of "favoritism" landed squarely on him. They all accused him of choosing Stacey over Rylie.

Rylie dropped the mic without a word. She walked straight up to Stacey, lifted her hand, and punched her hard across the face. Gasps echoed through the stands. A few people stood and cheered. "Good hit! That freeloader had it coming!"

Stacey screamed as she hit the ground. Phillip rushed over, grabbed Rylie's arm, and held her back."Stop it,Rylie! What's wrong with you? We've already lost everything. Isn't that enough? What else do you want?"

"What do I want?" Rylie's voice cut like glass. Her eyes were burning cold. "She tried to kil me on that turn. And now I can't even land a punch? Maybe I ought to show you how it feels too."

Stacey wiped her lip. Blood streaked her hand. Her voice trembled. "I didn't mean to-I swear it wasn't on purpose!"

Jake stepped up fast. "That's enough, Rylie! You're out of line!"

Another member of Phillip's team added, "Exactly, Stacey just wanted to win the race too badly.Mistakes happen during the process. How can you blame her?"

Britton stepped in front of Rylie, his voice steady. "You're blaming her? That move Stacey pulled-anyone with a brain knows what danger it could bring. She didn't slow down when she should have.She waited until Rylie was beside her, then tapped the brakes on the outer lane?"

At that moment, a call came through to the judges from the VIP lounge. They looked at one another,then turned to review the footage again.

The tension broke when one of the judges grabbed the microphone. "We've just received a report from a spectator. Driver Six from Phillip's team-Stacey Kirk- has been found in violation of the rules.After reviewing the footage again, we have a ruling."

In an instant, Phillip's team was on edge.

Jake spun around, eyes wide. "What?! A report? Who did that?!"