Selena’s hand paused; her eyes flickered. "I'm betting small," she said, "and it doesn't count as gambling…"

While in the mountains, Selena was befriended by several men. Initially wary of capture, she later relaxed and began gambling. These bets started small, but she soon succumbed to temptation and placed larger wagers.

Her sudden return to the city stemmed from a need to find Sandra and escape her mounting debts.

Seeing Selena's expression, Sandra understood. Suppressing her anger, she asked, "How much do you owe?"

Selena murmured, "Not much…"

"Tell me the truth!" Sandra roared.

"One hundred and sixty…" Selena hesitated.

"160 thousand dollars?" Sandra breathed a sigh of relief. That was manageable; a few words to Jordan would secure the funds.

But Selena's voice softened further. "It's 1.6 million dollars."

"What?" Sandra nearly fainted. "If you don't want to live anymore, jump off a building! Don't involve me! I don't have a mother who prioritizes nothing but dragging me down!"

Sandra thought, 1.6 million dollars! Where will I get that? This is clearly a trap. Why would a loan shark lend so much to a penniless fugitive? He knows Selena's identity and is using her to target me! Sandra had been cautious, but never suspected her own mother.

Selena, feeling guilty, said, "Sandra, I raised you. Now you're capable; you can't ignore my life…"

"Don't," Sandra sighed. "I'll find the money, but you must promise to quit gambling. Return all your luxury goods, including the house."

"Returning them won't change much," Selena countered. "I might as well keep them."

"So because it 'doesn't mean much,' you spend recklessly?" Sandra scoffed. "Have you considered my situation? If you continue this behavior, don't call me your daughter!"

"It won't happen again!" Selena promised repeatedly. "I'll return everything today! It's all my fault. I'll listen to you."

Sandra left, disgusted. She struggled to find 1.6 million, torn between asking Kenneth for help and manipulating Jordan. Kenneth's help would be easy, but it would destroy her carefully constructed image. The Harpers, already disdainful, wouldn't let her remain with Kenneth. Jordan, though foolish and wealthy, might repay her debt with the right incentives.

As she hesitated, Jordan called, excitedly saying, "Baby, there's a race tonight! Want to watch? It'll be exciting!"

Sandra frowned at the nickname. "I've told you not to call me that."

Jordan replied, "Alright. I won't. Don't be angry."

Satisfied, Sandra agreed, "I'll go with you."

Later, Sandra realized this was the worst decision of her life.

Meanwhile, Tiffany returned library books when Ged pursued her. "Boss, there's a black market race tonight! Want to watch?"

Tiffany glanced at him. "Are you three? Still need an adult?"

"Oh, no!" Ged pleaded. "It's only every three years! It's boring alone! I want you to come…"

Tiffany smiled thinly. "But didn't you invite classmates?"

Ged's face fell. "You know…"

Naturally interested, he had invited classmates; he hadn't expected Tiffany to know.

"Why should I go?" Tiffany asked.

"Because…" Ged hesitated, then confessed, "I'm competing… and I'll be more confident if you're there…"

"You're competing?" Tiffany was surprised.

Black market racing was risky; success brought glory, failure, death. He's always challenged himself, but this is bold! Tiffany's gaze made Ged uncomfortable. He started to say it was okay if she didn't go, but Tiffany spoke first, "I'll go with you."

She couldn't stop him and didn't want to discourage him. She'd be there, ready to help if he was injured.

Elated, Ged exclaimed, "Great!"

After returning the book, Tiffany and Ged left. Unbeknownst to them, Kenneth stood behind a tall bookshelf, holding an unread book. His mind was filled with their conversation. Their relationship had changed significantly after some minor squabbles.

Their understanding… makes me jealous, Kenneth thought, frustratedly returning the book. He left school, heading towards the race.

At 8 pm, the arena buzzed. Located in the suburbs, the crowd surged. Drones filmed the race, displayed on an HD screen for the audience. The track started at the base of a mountain, circled the peak, and then descended. The first to finish won. Simple, but dangerous.

Zoe, seeing the scene, felt it was crazy. Worriedly, she said to Tiffany, "Tiffany, Ged's really competing? He's loyal, but what if…"

Before she finished, Ged, in racing gear, retorted, "Can't you hope I win?"

Zoe countered, "Do you think you're the God of Racing?"

"I'll prove it! My strength is underestimated!" Ged declared.

They bickered; Tiffany was used to it. She looked at the countdown; the race started in twenty minutes.

To save his life, Tiffany gave Ged a small bag. "If you're injured, eat this."

"What's this?" Ged opened it, finding a chocolate. He laughed, "Supper? With your chocolate, I'm confident!"

(If the pill could speak, it would yell, "Idiot, I'm not chocolate! I'm a life-saving pill!")

The final sentences with website information have been removed as they are not part of the text needing grammatical correction.