CHAPTER 97: High-Stakes Gamble

Philip

Under the star-studded night sky, the base of the racetrack buzzed with shouts and jeers. Tensions crackled at the starting line as engines roared, their exhaust fumes blending with the mountain breeze.

Orlie Petrov, his face etched with worry lines, met me at the starting grid, grasping my shoulder with an urgency that matched his grim expression.

"Philip, you shouldn't have agreed to this! This underground race is too dangerous. If something goes wrong, it could utterly destroy your hard-earned reputation as a professional racer," he pleaded, eyes boring into mine.

Shrugging off his grip, shaking my head and returned his intense stare. "Orlie, you're the reason I'm in this mess! You introduced me to Mariano!" I growled through gritted teeth.

He looked taken aback but persisted. "There's still time to back out."

"Walk away and risk and face a third punishment? I ignored the first test, and this is the second, Orlie! The third might be my death!" We both knew Mariano's p