Chapter 3

3.

The wind howled outside my helmet. I could hear gasps from behind me.

No one expected Nora, the one who always wore Oscar de la Renta gowns and was meek and proper, to actually know how to ride. And not just ride, but to ride with a reckless, almost deadly intensity.

I took corner after corner, my knee nearly scraping the pavement, quickly leaving Brad in my dust.

Chase watched from the sidelines, his face a mask of shock.

On the final turn, I calculated my entry angle, ready to go full throttle on the exit.

Just then, a blinding light shot out from the side of the track!

Harper was holding a professional high-beam flashlight, waving it right at my eyes.

My vision went completely white.

"Damn it!"

I cursed, slamming on the rear brake to balance the bike.

But I was going too fast. The front wheel slipped, and the bike slid out of control.

I fought to regain control, my knee and elbow scraping hard against the asphalt. Even through my Dainese gear, the pain was searing.

Brad's bike roared past me and crossed the finish line.

I pushed myself up, took off my helmet, and stared coldly at Harper.

She tossed the flashlight aside and trotted over, her face a picture of exaggerated innocence.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I was just so excited watching you ride, I wanted to give you some light. I had no idea it would..."

Chase rushed over, his brow furrowed. His first words were, "See? This is what happens when you get over your head."

Brad circled back, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Nora, you... you won that round. Your cornering is way better than mine. If it wasn't for that light..."

I smirked.

The onlookers started heckling again. "Brad, why are you being such a gentleman today?"

I waved a hand dismissively. "A loss is a loss."

I looked at Harper. "What do you want?"

Harper's eyes fell on my neck.

It was a custom Tiffany necklace with a unique gear-shaped pendant, embedded with a 360-degree rotating diamond. Chase had put it on me himself backstage at Paris Fashion Week three years ago.

He said it symbolized how we fit together perfectly, like precision gears.

I reached up, unclasped it, and tossed it to Harper.

She caught it easily, dangling it in her hand.

Chase's face darkened. "Harper, that necklace―"

Harper tilted her head at him, pouting. "What's wrong, Chase? Nora agreed. What's there to say? I won it fair and square."

Chase's Adam's apple bobbed. He finally turned away. "...Do what you want."

Harper smiled triumphantly, showing off her victory behind Chase's back.

"Put it on for me."

As Chase fumbled to fasten the necklace for Harper, a few of their childhood friends gathered around.

But Harper suddenly turned to me with a smile, interrupting them.

"Wait. Nora's skills are impressive. Before we continue, we should raise the stakes."

Her eyes scanned me up and down.

"I remember you have a first-edition, signed copy of Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. A gift from your grandfather. A collector's item like that is priceless. How about we bet that?"

The crowd went quiet for a moment.

Tucked inside that book was the last letter my grandfather wrote to me―a blessing for my marriage.

She looked at me, a smile playing on her lips.

"If I win, I'll just borrow it for a few days. It's not like I'm keeping it forever..."

She paused, giving Chase a meaningful look.

Chase's breath hitched. He tried to reason with her in a low voice. "Harper, that's enough. That book is important to Nora."

I knew Harper was just messing around.

But every single time, I was the one who had to give in.

The letter said: "To my Nora, may you find a love that respects you for who you truly are."

Harper was fearless, jutting her chin out. "Why are you being so cheap? We're bros. Be careful or I'll tell everyone what you did at summer camp in Hawaii―"

Chase clamped his hand over her mouth, the tips of his ears turning red.

He turned to me, his expression a mix of pleading and entitlement. "Nora, just let her look at it, and this will all be over. You're already hurt..."

I nodded. "Fine."

Chase let out a breath of relief.

Then I added, "If I lose, the book is yours. Including the letter inside."