"Sorry, but no." Mirabe''s response was as firm as a locked door.


    Jonathan felt the sting of rejection again, and his expression dimmed a bit more. He managed a half-hearted grin as he nced at Mirabe. "Are you sure? Look, I know you don''t need the money or themission. But maybe there''s


    something else you want? We''ll try to make it happen, just to have you on our team for this race."


    In the world of professional racing, if you couldn''t see the talent right in front of you, it might be time to hang up the helmet.


    Jonathan was convinced that with the owner of that silver sports car on their side, their odds of winning would skyrocket. Even if victory slipped through their fingers, they wouldn''t end up in the dust.


    That''s why Jonathan was determined not to give up.


    Mirabe''s brow furrowed, feeling she had heard enough. With a quick "Sorry," she sidestepped Jonathan and headed towards the restroom.


    Jonathan stood there for a moment, sighed, and walked over to his car. Just as he''d opened the door and slid into the seat, a voice from above caught him off guard.


    "Did you just mention amission?" Mirabe was at the car door, her expression as casual andid-back as ever.


    Jonathan looked up, momentarily stunned, before he gathered his wits. "Don''t worry, themission won''t be small. Can you take me to him now? Time''s tight; the race is about to start."


    Mirabe thought for a moment, then pointed to the passenger seat. "Hop in."


    Jonathan blinked in surprise but did as she said, mbering into the passenger


    seat.


    Mirabe got in, buckled up, and fired up the engine. "The track next door, right?" With that, she hit the gas, and the car took off.


    Jonathan, barely having time to steady himself, quickly clicked his seatbelt into ce. Slightly dazed, he nced at Mirabe. "You...?"


    Mirabe, her gaze fixed on the road, casually rested a hand on the door frame. "Yep, me."


    Jonathan was floored.


    "If we win, does mymission double?" Mirabe asked, her tone as if winning was just another item on a to-do list.


    Jonathan took a deep breath, unsure if she was overly confident or just in audacious. "You''ve heard of Riverdale, the Shepherd family, right? If we win, doubling themission is no problem!"


    He knew what was riding on this race.


    Mirabe''s lips curled into a slight smile. She turned to give Jonathan a peculiar look. "Which family did you say?"


    Jonathan repeated himself.


    This time, Mirabe fell silent.


    As they neared the race track, Mirabe sighed softly, easing off the gas. She pointed to the helmet on Jonathan''s head. "Mind if I borrow that?"


    Jonathan quickly removed his helmet and handed it over.


    Feeling more secure with the helmet on, Mirabe couldn''t help but think that negotiating with friends was always tricky.


    Soon, under Jonathan''s guidance, the red sports car pulled into the designatedne.


    Jonathan, the lead driver, had the prime starting position. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he stepped out, pausing to look up at Mirabe onest time. Curiosity got the better of him. "Are you really sure we can win? Our mainpetitor is Andi, the third-ranked racer in the world."