<b>Chapter 178 </b>


    Ashton had barely finished speaking when a loud explosion was heard.


    A blinding fireball, towering over three meters high, erupted suddenly at a sharp turn in the race track. The crowd, caught up in their cheers, was instantly shocked by the loud explosion. Panic spread as people rushed to find safety.


    “What just happened? Where did that explosione from?” someone yelled in confusion.


    Another person asked, “How could it blow up? Did something go wrong with one of the bikes?”


    Some of the security staff acted quickly, rushing towards the site of the st.


    They set up a safety barrier to prevent the situation from getting worse.


    It was only at that moment that someone realized–the racer who had been closely tailing the leader hadn’t returned yet. ‘Please tell me that explosion wasn’t him…‘ people worried anxiously.


    In the VIP suite, Ashton watched in shock as an explosion lit up the scene. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach just as his phone rang.


    It was Connor calling. Ashton answered with a serious tone as he asked, “What’s happening?” Connor sounded hesitant as he reported, “Ashton, there’s been an incident. Sawyer’s bike unexpectedlybusted and broke into mes, and now we can’t find him.”


    Ashton frowned, trying to wrap his mind around the situation as he thought, ‘Are you serious? How could a bike just catch fire out of nowhere?


    ‘The professional team checks every bike thoroughly before the race. That doesn’t make any sense!‘


    Ashton’s eyes were drawn <i>to </i>Briar, who was confidently strolling out from the crowd with her hands behind her back,pletely calm and showing no signs of worry.


    It was almost as if she could sense Ashton watching her; she looked up, and their eyes met through therge window of the VIP suite.


    Despite the distance separating the suite from the event below, their connection felt intense. Ashton could feel the pride and self–satisfaction radiating


    from Briar’s gaze.


    It seemed like this situation had her fingerprints all over it.


    Ashton suspected that Briar might also have been involved in Sawyer’s disappearance.


    Hamish also noticed Briar and hurried to the window, waving excitedly for her toe up.


    Briar responded with an “OK” sign and, with the help of a staff member, made her way to the suite quickly.


    As soon as Briar walked in, Hamish grinned and teased, “Hey, Briar, be honest now, did you kill Sawyer?”


    His team was already at the scene, and from the video they sent back, the bike went up in mes extremely quickly and burned outpletely. If Sawyer hadn’t jumped out in time, there was a good chance he’d be burned alive.


    But there was <i>no </i>body at the scene, which meant Sawyer got away in time.


    However, Hamish’s team couldn’t find him anywhere, and they guessed he might have fallen off the cliff <i>or </i>something simr.


    Hamish couldn’t help but wonder if Briar got pissed and crashed into Sawyer, killing him.


    Briar shed an innocent, wide–eyed smile, and she replied, “Hamish, what are you even saying? I’m just a kid! How could I possibly kill <b>anyone</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>


    As she spoke, she even put on a fake scared face, acting as if she were saying, “Oh no, I’m so terrified.”


    Hamish was at a loss for words.


    Ashton walked over and cut Hamish off before he could keep pressing her. “Alright, if Briar says she didn’t do it, then she didn’t<b>, </b>he stated.


    Hamish fell silent once more as he thought, ‘You two really are a family through and through.


    ‘Lying with a straight face justes naturally to both of you..


    “Mr. Parkinson, Sawyer got away,” the track manager said as he rushed into the room. After greeting Ashton and Briar, he turned to Hamish and reported “From the tracks at the scene, it looks like he ran off toward the cliff. Should I send someone to go after him?”


    Sawyer was a regr at the tracks, and his racing skills were nothing to scoff at. He had racked up some impressive wins in a few high–stakes races in <b>the </b>past and had made quite a name for himself around here.


    A lot of people had bet on him to win today’s race, but no one expected Briar toe <i>out </i>of nowhere and snatch the victory.


    No matter how good Sawyer had been before, now that Hamish wanted him, it didn’t matter where he ran–they would make sure to bring him back.


    Hamish waved it off, saying, “No need to bother. Ashton’s guys are probably already on his tail. Just make sure the mess gets cleaned up.”


    Sawyer must’ve sensed someone was watching him, because he took off toward the cliff without looking back.


    But you can run–you can’t hide. If Sawyer still wanted to return to Shoneport University as the campus doctor, it was only a matter of time before they tracked him down.


    Hamish and the manager didn’t bother keeping their conversation private from Briar. So when Ashton gave her a half–smile, Briar casually looked away, pretending she had no idea what was going on.


    Honestly, she hadn’t nned to hide what she did to Sawyer from Ashton and Hamish. This was Hamish’s turf after all, and if she tried to keep it under wraps, they’d figure it out sooner orter.


    However, there was a difference between them discovering it on their own and her admitting it.


    As such, if anyone asked, she’d just sh a smile in denial, “Oh, I have no idea what you’re talking about!”


    After the manager left, Hamish looked at Briar with aplicated expression. He sighed, “Briar, you don’t treat us like friends, huh? Neither Ashton nor I ever would’ve guessed that you were the legendary racer, Speed Queen Bree–the one who created an unbeatable myth on the international stage. You sure kept this hidden deep<i>!</i>”


    Briar smiled in response, “I wasn’t hiding anything! I just never mentioned it. I mean, it’s not like you guys ever asked.”


    Hamish was left speechless, and he wondered, ‘Who in their right mind would ever connect Briar to Speed Queen Bree?


    ‘There wasn’t a single thing they had inmon… Wait, if you dig into it, ‘Briar‘–the ‘Bree‘ in Speed Queen Bree sounds kind of simr, don’t they?‘


    Hamish nced at Ashton, and it was obvious Ashton had realized the same thing. The two of them shook their heads at the same time, and there was just no way they could’ve guessed that this was the connection between Briar and Speed Queen Bree.


    Briar took their stares in stride and just shrugged. She exined, “You guys know, back in Qathana, I was a cker and I was always skipping ss and getting into trouble. Riding motorcycles was my signature ‘bad girl‘ move.”


    She silently reasoned, ‘So really, it’s no wonder I’m good at racing, right?‘


    “Briar, you blew me away!” Hamish gave her a pig thumbs–up as he praised. For someone as proud as him, it was rare to be impressed by anyone<b>, </b>ut Briar was one of those rare exceptions.


    At such a young age, Speed Queen Bree has already be a legendary racer, renowned worldwide. If she were ever to reveal her true identity<b>, </b><b>it </b><b>would </b>undoubtedly astonish everyone.


    <b>Anyone </b>who can achieve fame in these intense and dangerous races is incredibly tough–there are no weak <bpetitors </b><b>here</b>.


    It’s easy to see why Briar frightened Sawyer so much that he chose to abandon the race altogether; he simply took off towards the cliffs to escape,


    “But I’m still dying to know something. What did you do to Sawyer to freak him out like that?” Hamish asked.


    Ashton looked at Briar, too, just as curious.


    ally do much. When he tried to pull a murder–suicide and drag me off the cliff Briar’s smile turned even more innocent. She replied, “Honestly, I didn’t with him, I just gave his kidneys a good kick, and, well, maybe I tinkered with his gas tank a bit on the side…”


    Hamish was so floored he could only blurt out, “Damn, girl, you are savage!”


    <b><i>AD </i></b>