To Luca''s surprise, after the training session that day, Mr. Grant offered to give him a ride back home. Actually it''d be a ride in Mr. Colt''s car.
Luca had never actually seen Mr. Grant arrive anywhere, not even at headquarters, in a car of his own. He was always with someone, sitting in the passenger seat. Most recently, he had been hitching rides with Ms. Vallotton.
When Mr. Grant extended the offer, Luca hesitated for a moment before epting. He knew this meant his Team Principal would see where he lived, and chances were, he''d have to offer a brief invitation inside.
Colt spun his car keys around his index finger and led them toward his vehicle in the lot while Luca quickly called Sara, letting her know he''d be taking another ride.
Colt''s car was an elegant Mercedesmercial sedan, sleek and polished, with the signature four-eye design—two at the front, two at the back—and the brand''s iconic emblem sitting proudly between its headlights.
As expected, Mr. Grant imed the passenger seat. Luca ced his duffel bag in the backseat, but just as he was about to get in, Colt stopped him with a casual request.
"Put it in the trunk instead."
Luca paused for a second, unsure why, but he obeyed without question. He turned back, ready to enter the car again—only to notice two familiar figures approaching.
Mr. Moritz and McCauley.
"They''reing too?" Luca asked, putting it together in an instant.
"Yup," Colt replied with an easy grin before settling into the driver''s seat.@@novelbin@@
Moritz and McCauley reached them quickly, with McCauley gripping Luca''s shoulders like he was kneading dough.
"Let''s see this million-dor house of yours, shall we?" Moritz sneered.
"I don''t need this many people escorting me home, you know that?" Luca muttered.
McCauley shoved him into the backseat. "You''re sitting in the middle."
Luca let out a sigh and made sure to spread his legs wide before Moritz and McCauley could im more space for themselves.
The doors shut with a soft click, and Colt wasted no time starting the engine.
Luca blinked. The sound was almost nonexistent, almost like a spider. It purred so quietly, he could barely hear it. He had never encountered a smoother, more refined hum in his life. Even in theirmercial models, Mercedes never failed to ce themselves on a pedestal of prestige.
Luca asked Colt for the name of the model and he said it was Mercedes Veltrix S9.
Luca nodded, impressed. "Can any of you fine-tune an engine like this without messing with its silence?" He directed the question to Colt and Moritz, the two engineers in the car.
Colt chuckled as he kept his focus on the road, while Moritz smirked and nudged Luca with his elbow.
"We deal with single-seaters, chump. This is Form racing, not street racing. And even street racing engines aren''t this quiet," Moritz scoffed.
Colt added, "The sound would definitely change. I don''t know… I don''t mess withmercial cars. I don''t think you''ll find anyone who can handle both worlds equally well."
Luca shrugged. "I do."
His mind immediately went to Isabe. He wondered if she could repair the Veltrix S9 without altering that near-silent hum.
Moritz shook his head. "Whoever that is should be working GT racing, not Form racing."
GT racing, huh…
Form racing focuses on maximum performance, with loud, high-pitched engines built for speed. The noise is part of the package.
GT racing, however, uses cars closer to production models, bncing power with a quieter, more refined engine sound. While still fast, GT engines are designed to be less noisypared to the raw sound of Form cars.
Luca rxed and began ying the candy game on his phone after giving Colt the detailed route to his home.
Without dy, they began discussing about the pending screening test that was currently being carried out on Luca, and how only a few checks were left and then, the wait for the results.
Mr. Grant led the conversation, making it clear that he didn''t like it one bit how things were going and how the FIA was handling it.
Trampos'' own medical report on Luca''s doping test hade out negative, assuring every one, including the management that the FIA would find nothing.
The FIA finding a substance wasn''t even their problem, because they all knew they wouldn''t. Their problem was how long it''d take the FIA toe to that final decision that everyone already anticipated.
Less than a month now, Luca was still free to drill, but the team and him most importantly needed a free mind if they wanted to step into Italy with a winning mindset.
After a few minutes of driving through the quiet neighborhood of Dahlem, Luca straightened up in his seat and began giving Colt precise, street-by-street directions to his house. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire
Colt, eyeing the upscale area with some doubt, followed Luca''s directions, steering the Mercedes along the winding streets, all while Luca pointed from the backseat.
Finally, they arrived, and Moritz and McCauley sat in stunned silence, their jaws slightly dropped at the sight of the grand property. Colt chuckled and shut off the engine. "Big house, big goals, big victory," he said, ncing at the impressive estate before turning to the others. "Alright, let''s get out."
Luca got out of the car and walked toward the trunk to grab his duffel bag. He fumbled with his keys as he approached the gate, ready to unlock it.
Meanwhile, Colt, Moritz, and McCauley stepped back, walking into the middle of the quiet street to get a better look at the house above therge gate. Mr. Grant, however, stayed close to Luca as he unlocked the gate.
"I hope you didn''t stretch yourself too thin financially for this," he asked, his voice quiet but carrying a note of concern.
Lucaughed, hearing the click of the lock turning. "Don''t worry, sir. I manage my finances well," he said, pushing the gate open to the side and motioning for everyone toe in, including the three still standing in the street.