Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 113: Chapter 113

Chase and the other soldiers could hardly believe their ears. They stood there and stared at Shawn, completely stunned and unable to process what they'd just heard.
They thought, 'Move in together? What kind of bombshell is that? It is one thing for him to agree, but to take it further and suggest moving in with Zoe? Is he the same cold, ruthless Ruler we've ever known? The world is mad.'
Even Zoe was caught off guard for a split second. She hadn't expected anything to come of her casual suggestion. So she found Shawn's agreement and volunteering to live with her to be absurd.
Zoe thought, 'Does he want to put himself in my crosshairs that badly?' Her lips curled slightly, but she didn't let a hint of emotion show. She wouldn't let an opportunity like this slip by.
She quickly steadied herself and lowered her head like a shy schoolgirl. Her voice was soft and sweet as she replied, "Really? Then, Shawn, let's work well together." Then she looked up and smiled, her icy cruelty lurking just beneath the surface.
A flicker of predatory caution flashed across Shawn's eyes, like a lion sizing up its prey.
The tension between the two predators was always fleeting, gone in the blink of an eye. Chase and the other soldiers, of course, were completely oblivious.
But in that brief instant, sparks flew between Zoe and Shawn, as if they'd already exchanged countless moves in a silent duel.
This was just the beginning of a long game. Whoever let their guard down first would be the loser in this war.
As promised, the next day Zoe headed over to the Clusia Racing Association to check in.
Clusia Racing Association was the most elite in all of Clusia. Getting in was not easy. The members were either champions, runners-up, or third-place finishers at international racing championships, or they'd made a name for themselves in some underground race and become famous across Clusia.
That was why every time a new member joined, it always caused a bit of a stir.
Zoe had barely stepped through the club doors when she overheard a bunch of people talking.
"Hey, did you guys hear? A newbie is joining our club today," someone said.
"I heard Henry himself invited the person, and the boss gave the go-ahead," another chimed in.
"With that kind of pull? I haven't heard of any new hotshot racers lately. Must be someone with connections," someone else muttered.
Then a cocky voice spoke up, "Anyone who gets in through connections is just dead weight. What's the point? Everyone knows our club doesn't keep slackers around. If you're useless, you don't belong here."
One said, "Yeah, our training resources are already stretched thin as it is."
Before Zoe even showed up, the club's racers were already making it clear they'd give her a hard time. Hearing the discussions, Zoe raised an eyebrow, unfazed.
Just then, Henry walked into the center of the club, a few racers following behind him.
The moment the racers spotted Henry, they all greeted him with respect, "Henry! You are here!"
Henry nodded, his face cold as he strode past the crowd toward the entrance. But as soon as he came face-to-face with Zoe, his tense expression melted into a big smile. He said, "Zoe, you're here."
That kind of excitement, in both his words and his face, was something none of the club's racers had ever seen from Henry. Instantly, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Zoe.
When they saw Zoe, who was a teenage girl, their faces immediately fell.
One said, "Henry, you know the rules. Family members aren't allowed in the club. Whose little sister is this? You should send her out."
Another chimed in, "Yeah, if you start breaking the rules, how can you expect the rest of us to follow them?"
Everyone just assumed Zoe was someone's kid sister. After all, there were hardly any girls in racing, especially not someone this young and pretty. They thought, 'If she isn't family, what else could she be?
'No way she's the recruit. What a joke. Seriously?'
But before anyone could finish that thought, Henry said, "You're always at the bottom of the rankings, never train hard enough, but you sure have time to stick your noses in other people's business.
"Let me make this clear: she's not anyone's family. She's the new racer joining us today, Zoe."
Henry's announcement was like dropping a bomb in the club. For a moment, the room went dead silent. Then the place erupted, everyone shouting and venting their anger.
One exclaimed, "What? She's the new racer?"
Another chimed in, "You've got to be kidding. We were just saying the recruit must've gotten in through connections. How old are you, little girl? Sixteen? Seventeen?
"You're just a kid, and you think you belong here? What kind of strings did you pull to get into the racing association?"
Someone shouted, "Henry, we protest!"
One said, "We work our butts off every day and get nothing. Now you bring in someone just because she's got connections? Seriously?"
The whole place was in an uproar. Everyone was shouting, venting their frustration and anger. Hearing those protests, Henry's face darkened.
Zoe's racing footage from that day sent shockwaves through the international racing scene, but as for the Clusia Racing Association, only a handful of top officials even knew about it.
The whole thing was kept tightly under wraps, so the regular racers in the association, despite being members, had no idea what was going on with Zoe.
Henry's face was twisted with embarrassment, and he looked like he was about to explode.
Suddenly, a stern male voice cut through the crowd. The tone was like an older brother who used to scold his little sister.
He said, "So you're my sister, Zoe? What's going on here? Why aren't you at home where you belong? What are you doing out here, causing trouble?"
At his words, the crowd parted, and a tall, strikingly handsome man, who looked a lot like Sean, stepped out.
Zoe glanced up, and with just one look, she recognized him as her second brother, Charlie, a famous international racer. She hadn't seen him since coming back to the Evans family.
Zoe hadn't expected the world to be this small. She hadn't even met her mysterious brothers when she first got home, but somehow, she ran into one here. But she didn't care. Her expression stayed cold, and she didn't say a word.
Charlie had never met Zoe before, but as soon as he heard his long-lost sister had been found, he'd gotten her photo. So he recognized her now.
But he had zero interest in getting to know Zoe. He was busy getting ready for the next international race. He aimed for a top spot so he could get closer to his idol, Fox.
And yet, right at this critical moment, he ran into his so-called arrogant, clueless sister here at the Clusian Racing Association.
Charlie's expression went ice-cold as he looked at Zoe. He said, "Zoe, racing isn't some kid's game. Every race is a gamble with your life.
"At your age, you should be in school, focusing on your studies, not out here messing around. Do you understand? If you do, quit the racing association right now and go home."