Leo gave her a knowing smile, one that only made her feel more bashful and guilty at the same time.


    She had the distinct feeling that Leo knew something but was choosing to remain understanding—an awareness that made her feel like she’d been caught red-handed.


    However, her guilt was momentarily overshadowed by Dave, who had begun to dramatically sob in front of her, acting as though he’d been wronged.


    His over-the-top theatrics made Leo roll his eyes in clear annoyance, but Hera couldn’t help but smile at the sight.


    She grabbed a few tissues to wipe Dave’s face, all the while apologizing for his distress.


    Dave, for his part, seemed to revel in the attention, his coy expression almost purring with satisfaction.


    Meanwhile, Zhane had managed to regain hisposure, his expression now carefully neutral.


    His heart was still racing, his thoughts scattered after the brief but intense rush of emotions.


    Yet despite his best efforts, a noticeable tent had formed in his pants.


    He quickly found a ce to sit, remaining as still as possible while keeping his gaze fixed on Hera.


    His mind was still reeling, but he focused on helping in any way he could, trying to distract himself from the growing tension.


    Both Dave and Xavier werepletely oblivious to the interaction between Hera and Zhane, but Leo and Luke, ever perceptive, had caught on.


    Sensing Hera’s distraction, they both subtly worked to shift her focus, gently guiding her into engaging with the fans to take her mind off what Zhane’s reminder had stirred up.


    Just then, ke approached, having finished handling the aftermath of the ident that had dyed them. He took the opportunity to chat with Hera, offering a wee distraction as well.


    "ke, what are you doing here?" Dave stood up, his gaze narrowing as he shot his friend a questioning look, an eyebrow raised.


    ke grinned, unfazed. "What else? I’m here to deliver my racer’s car."


    Dave’s expression shifted to confusion. "Your racer? Since when? And howe you didn’t mention anything when I brought Hera to the trackst weekend?"


    He’d been meaning to ask this for a while.


    When he’d brought Hera to the race, ke had acted as though he was meeting her for the first time, never once mentioning their connection.


    ke looked slightly embarrassed as he repeated his exnation to his friend.


    "Well, Phantom just looked so different from how I remembered her a few months ago. At first, she seemed familiar, but I couldn’t quite ce why. I mean, clothes really <i>do</i> make the person—she used to only wear t-shirts and jeans."


    "But when you brought her to the track, she was all dolled up, with apletely different vibe. It didn’t click right away." He rubbed the tip of his nose and shrugged, his unease still evident.


    At this time, Betty and some of the staff had just finished installing a camera inside Hera’s car to record her while she’s driving.


    The footage will be broadcast live on her stream at ater time.


    With just 30 minutes remaining before the race, Hera stood up from her seat, grabbed her race suit, and headed off to change and prepare for thepetition.


    Shortly after, Hera emerged, her voluptuous figure perfectly entuated by the tight race suit that hugged her body in all the right ces.


    Her curves were boldly outlined, leaving little to the imagination.


    The most noticeable reaction came from Hera’s men, who all stood in awe as they took in her stunning presence.


    She radiated a new, powerful aura—wild and adventurous—with her eyes reflecting a blend of determination and confidence.


    All their concerns about whether Hera would be alright vanished in an instant.


    Her aura spoke volumes, leaving no room for doubt. At that moment, they were all captivated by her presence.


    Everything about her exuded an undeniable sense of dominance—a side of Hera that waspletely new to Luke, Dave, Zhane, and Xavier.


    ke smirked to himself.


    "Now that’s the Phantom I remember."


    This was the Phantom he knew—dominant on the racetrack, even when surrounded by men behind the wheel.


    She was the one who could make the impossible happen with her out-of-this-world maneuvers, moves no one else could replicate.


    With his arms crossed smugly over his chest, he followed Hera around as they both inspected the sponsor logos on her car.


    Meanwhile, the crew began removing the screen around the garage entrance, and some of the staff started moving the car toward the racetrack to position it for the uing race.


    Hera didn’t immediately follow the car out onto the racetrack; instead, she stood calmly in the garage, watching from a distance.


    By this time, other teams had already started pushing their cars onto the track after their inspections.


    Hera’s car, number 18, was a bit behind the others.


    But as soon as her car was rolled out, a wave of excitement and shock swept through the crowd—especially from the online viewers.


    Hera’s dedicated fans, however, were in a slightly better position.


    Before the car was pushed onto the track, Betty and her team had already set up a camera inside, capturing footage that was now rolling live.


    This gave Hera’s fans an early advantage, as many had begun specting about the car’s origins.


    Dave also shared a few teasers, revealing bits and pieces of the car, which prompted fans to dig deeper and experience the same shocking surprise that was unfolding for everyone else.


    Now, more than ever, her fans were eagerly anticipating Hera taking the wheel, while others wondered if she had secretly hired someone else to race for her.


    The louder the buzz grew, the wider Hera’s smile became.


    Even Michael, observing from his own position, was momentarily shocked and flustered. He quickly nced back at the garage where the car came from, only to lock eyes with Hera, who stood there in her race suit, looking both morous and alluring.


    In that instant, it all clicked in his mind.


    A scornful smirk spread across his face as he turned and strode back to his seat.


    He believed Hera’s team had figured out about Phantom, painting their car to resemble Phantom’s car, all in an effort to stir up more buzz and generate inte clout.


    Now, Michael was certain that Hera and her team were just there to make fools of themselves.


    While he could acknowledge Hera’s driving skills—after all, she had beaten him when he wasn’t taking it seriously—he knew that kind of victory only mattered in a casual race.


    But this time, it was different.


    This was a real race, in front of the whole nation.


    He was eager to wipe the floor with her and see how far her clout-chasing and overconfidence would get her, especially whenpared to the ambitious, driven men she’d be up against.


    Michael believed this race would be a rude awakening for Hera—these men wouldn’t make it easy for her, and she’d likely be left in the dust.


    Milly, standing beside her brother, shared the same thoughts as Michael.


    At first, she was angry and jealous, seeing Hera surrounded by handsome men who treated her like royalty.


    But as she thought about it more, she imagined how those same men would soon witness Hera’s embarrassment firsthand.


    The thought of it made her smile—she believed that once they saw her humiliation, their infatuation with Hera would fade.


    They would realize how maniptive she was, using her fame for attention, and might even start seeing her for the gold-digger she truly was.


    Milly could barely contain her excitement at the thought of seeing Hera’s downfall after the race, picturing her brother’s victory and the NRT team groveling at their feet, begging them to return.