Alpha Hayley’s Destined Mate

Chapter 254: Benjamin Became the Background

Hayley’s POV:

“The car seems fine,” I said. The simplicity of the words weighed heavily on me, making my mood even more somber. If the car was fine, did that mean the person hadn’t started yet? And what about the next race?

“I understand, thank you,” I said, giving a polite nod before closing the car door. As I did, Benjamin happily walked up to me. “Senior, your car is nice.”

Unlike his usual self, Benjamin seemed like an excited fan, completely different from how he used to act around me when I was Hayley. It was a little surprising how much he admired Sara.

I cleared my throat lightly, intentionally changing my voice. “I still plan to use your car for the final. Is that alright?”

Benjamin furrowed his brows, likely wondering why Sara had such a strong preference for his car.

“It’s fine. You can keep it as long as you want,” he replied after a brief pause.

“Thanks,” I said, turning to leave.

Benjamin hurried after me. “Senior, your return to the racetrack was quite the surprise. I was wondering if I might have the honor of inviting you to dinner afterward?”

I frowned, not expecting him to catch up. With just a hat and a mask on, there was no way I could have dinner with him. He would certainly recognize my real identity. So, I declined immediately.

“Sorry, Mr. Southwell. I have something to do, so I must leave now.”

As I walked away from the racetrack, my thoughts grew heavier. I had heard someone planning to make a move today, yet nothing had happened. That only made me more worried about Benjamin.

While lost in thought, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

“Harmony, want to come to the bar?”

I grunted and said, “Give me ten more minutes.”

Nueve’s reply came swiftly, “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

Once I arrived at the bar, I made my way straight to the private room upstairs.

Nueve, seeing me, quickly put out his cigarette. “You did well in the race today. Though I wasn’t there, I watched the livestream. With your skills, winning this championship is a sure thing.”

He paused, then added with curiosity, “But I’m wondering why you drove off with your war car from my place, only to swap it for another car at the race?”

I didn’t offer a full explanation, simply saying, “I saw the car and it looked good, so I decided to give it a try.”

Nueve gave me a long look before speaking again. “That car’s performance is decent, but it’s still not quite up to par with your race car.”

Grunted, I said uninterestedly, “I don’t win because of the car? What mattered was the technique, not the car.”

After I left Nueve’s place, I took a nap and woke up the next day. The final race was even bigger than the preliminaries, with around 20,000 to 30,000 spectators in the stands. Nueve had managed to get a VIP ticket, sitting right in the front row, waiting for the race to begin.

As soon as I arrived backstage, Benjamin waved at me, and then handed me a bottle of water. Before I took a sip, I glanced at it and said, “Thanks!”

There were only seven contestants in the final, each having earned their spot by excelling in the group rounds, so none of them were to be underestimated.

“Attention all contestants! The race will start in five minutes. Please head to the waiting area,” a staff member announced. I stood up and turned to Benjamin. “Let’s go.”

Benjamin followed closely by my side. When we entered the arena, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. Every eye was on me, and in that moment, the tall and handsome Alpha Benjamin from the Midnight Pack became nothing more than a supporting character.

“Sara, go for it!”

“We’re always cheering for you!”

“Sara, we’ll be waiting for you at the finish line!”

The synchronized chants from the fans brought the atmosphere to a climax. I smiled at the crowd and finally spotted Nueve in the front row. He looked at me with eager anticipation, as though he were offering silent encouragement.

“Contestants, get ready!” The announcer’s voice rang out. Each racer moved to their respective cars.

I was in lane 3, and Benjamin was in lane 4 right beside me. As the other competitors settled in, I gripped the steering wheel and focused ahead. As the five red lights went out, I slammed my foot on the accelerator, and the car shot forward. In just 3,000 feet, I had taken the lead.

The cheers from the crowd grew louder, but inside, I remained focused, my mind calm as I navigated the track – overtaking, handling the curves, speeding up – all without hesitation. Benjamin wasn’t far behind, maintaining second place and leaving the other competitors in the dust. We were locked in a race, each pushing to overtake the other.

Benjamin’s POV:

I was about to make my move on the bend, looking for the perfect moment to overtake Sara’s car. But just then, my car began to shake violently. I gripped the steering wheel, trying to steady the car, but the shaking only got worse. Lawrence stirred, alerting me to danger. I slammed on the brakes, but it had no effect. If anything, the car seemed to accelerate.

“D*mmit!” I yelled.

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