Chapter 69

"Hello? Rosara?" A startled voice rang out on the other end of the line. It was Warren Barton, Brinley's former teammate. "Wow, it's been ages since you last called me!"

"Warren, I need to ask you something." Brinley sounded slightly tense. "Do you know Austin Moore?"

"Austin Moore?" Warren's voice rose instantly, full of intrigue. "Oh, I've actually crossed paths with himn! He was incredible when he dabbled in rally. Even though he never went pro, he was easily one of the best in the amateur circuit. We even raced against each other once.His cornering skills-honestly, they were more daring than some professionals I know!"

Brinley's hand trembled so hard she nearly dropped her phone.

So Austin's claim was true-he had once dabbled in racing, and his skills were surprisingly sharp.

"What's the matter? W/hy are you suddenly asking about him?" Warren sounded genuinely puzzled.

"Oh, nothing, just curious. Warren, I'll have to call you back; something just came up."

Brinley hung up and sat on her bed, unable to steady her thoughts.

She had assumed Austin was only mildly curious about racing, but knowing how good he truly was unsettled her.

Would he really take part in that exhibition race?

Meanwhile, Austin was on a call with Miguel in his study.

"It's been confirmed, Mr. Moore," Miguel reported crisply. "The men shadowing Mrs. Moore last time were acting on your brother Ryder's orders. I've already dealt with it."

Austin leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers lightly against the desk. His voice stayed even as he said, "Understood."

He hesitated before adding, "Also, look into..." But he stopped himself. "Never mind. Get some rest."

After Austin hung up, he opened his racing simulator and pulled up the exhibition race track map.

On the screen, a sleek black virtual car darted forward.cornering and overtaking with flawless finesse. Austin had already confirmed his participation with the FIA.

From the very beginning, he had sensed Brinley's secret passion for racing.

At one point, he'd even considered ordering Miguel to dig deeper, but he had decided against it.

He didn't need evidence. On the track, the truth would come out on its own.

Over the next few days, Brinley poured herself into her project.

The timing of the exhibition race overlapped with the final phase of her work, and she was determined to wrap it up before then.

But the more she rushed, the more obstacles appeared.

Brinley glared at the rejection notice on her screen,gripping the document tightly in frustration.

"They're demanding forty-five percent landscaping coverage?" she snapped angrily, slamming the document down on the desk. "Our plan already exceeded the national standard by three percent!Forty-five percent is impossible!" Corbin had a pale look on his face. "Mr. Saunders said ... it's a new regulation that must be strictly enforced.He also added that if we don't comply by next week,the project will be suspended."

"A new regulation?" Brinley snorted, scrolling through her recent calls. "Funny how he never mentioned it when I spoke to him yesterday."

This was the third major roadblock since the project began.

The first two times, she had revised the plan seven different times before getting approval.

And now, practically out of nowhere, a so-called new regulation had materialized.

Something wasn't adding up.

Brinley picked up her coat. "Get the car. We're going to the housing and urban development department."

Corbin quickly intervened. "But Mr. Saunders isn't in the office today. I just checked with his secretary."

"Then I'll wait at his house," Brinley said coldly. "I need to know if this is truly a new regulation or if someone is deliberately putting me in a corner."

As the car pulled away from the project site, her phone rang. It was Austin.

"Where are you?" he inquired.

"On my way to the housing and urban development department," Brinley muttered, massaging her aching temples with her palm. "The project's approval has been stalled again."

There was a pause, then Austin spoke up, his voice deep and authoritative. "Don't go. Head home and wait for me. I'll be there in half an hour."

"But..."

"Please do as I say." His tone left no room for debate."If you go now, you'll be walking straight into a trap."

Holding the phone tightly, Brinley watched the city blur past outside the window. At last, she told the driver to turn back.

She knew Austin was right, but the frustration of being targeted stung.

By the time she arrived at the villa, Austin was already in the living room, waiting for her.

He was dressed in a black suit, clearly just back from the office, tie still fastened.

As soon as he saw Brinley, he stood, walked over, and gently brushed her messy hair back into place. "Sit."

A servant set down a drink, and Austin pushed it toward her. "Jasiah Saunders has been cozying up to Ryder lately."

Brinley froze. "Ryder? Your second brother?"

"Yes." Austin gave a small nod. "Last month, he tried to interfere in Moore Group's construction material business. I cut him off. He must be holding a grudge and is now using Jasiah to sabotage your project."

Brinley's stomach sank as everything began to make sense.

No wonder the approval process had been so painfully difficult. Austin's petty family rivalry was poisoning her project.

She frowned. "So what now? Forty-five percent landscaping is unrealistic. We can't just let the project be shut down."

"It's doable." Austin picked up a pen and swiftly sketched something on paper. "Convert the rooftops of the commercial buildings into sky gardens, and plant low shrubs in the racetrack buffer zones. That way, you can meet the requirement without compromising the track itself."