Chapter 211: I Lost My Record

I motioned for them to stay close as I followed the booming beat down the corridor, turning the corner toward the private home gym.

I pushed the heavy gym doors open, and the music washed over us in a loud wave.

There she was. May was on the treadmill, completely locked in. She had her wireless earpieces plugged in, her hair pulled back into a high ponytail, and sweat glistening on her skin as her legs moved in a fast, intense, relentless rhythm against the belt. She was running like her life depended on it, completely oblivious to the fact that we had just walked into the house.

I stepped closer into the gym, lowering the blaring volume on the wall unit.

May must have caught my reflection in the mirror because she suddenly gasped, her foot catching the edge of the moving treadmill belt. She nearly stumbled hard, but managed to grip the side rails just in time, frantically hitting the emergency stop button. The machine whirred down as she stood there panting, her chest heaving as she wiped sweat from her forehead with a towel.

She pulled out one of her earpieces, staring at me with wide, slightly startled eyes. "Ethan? You—you didn’t say you were coming back today."

"Plans changed," I said softly, crossing my arms as I looked her over. "May... what happened out there? The main floor looks like a bomb went off. Where’s the cleaning staff?"

"Oh..." She looked away, running a hand through her damp hair and shifting her weight awkwardly. "I gave the cleaners the week off. Sent them on holiday."

My eyes narrowed slightly. Sending away the entire estate staff and practically living on a high-speed treadmill in complete isolation wasn’t like her at all. Something was clearly bothering her, weighing on her mind far deeper than she was letting on.

Before I could press further, Chloe, Ruby, and Patricia stepped into the gym doorway.

"May!" Ruby called out, her initial panic melting into immediate concern as she hurried over to give her a light hug. "Are you okay? We thought someone broke into the house!"

"I’m fine, guys, seriously," May insisted, trying to force a reassuring smile as Chloe and Patricia joined us, surrounding her with warm, worried looks. "I just... needed some space to blow off steam."

While the girls crowded around her—Ruby chattering away to lighten the mood and Chloe asking if she needed anything—I stood back a few paces, watching May’s body language closely. The house was a mess, she was pushing herself to absolute exhaustion, and her timing was way too deliberate. Something was definitely wrong, and I made a mental note to get to the bottom of it as soon as we had a moment alone.

The girls gave May a few more quick words of encouragement before heading upstairs to unpack and freshen up.

Once the door clicked shut, I leaned back against the gym frame, looking at May with a half-smile. "Sure, go ahead and continue with your running."

May wiped her face with her towel, a mischievous, teasing smirk breaking across her flushed cheeks as she leaned against the treadmill rail. "Oh, so the big shot boss is back from the country? How were the sweet country girls, Ethan? Did you manage to get any work done between playing hero for Ruby and chasing down farm bakeries?"

I just let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head without giving in to the bait. "You know me, May. Always working."

But as she stepped back onto the belt, a cold, sharp chime echoed inside my head. A glowing blue window flashed directly across my vision:

[System Alert: High-Priority Asset Warning]

Subject: May

Talent & Performance Rating: Dropped from 9.0 → 7.8

Status: Severe Mental Fatigue

Emergency Mission: Invest in May’s Growth & Potential.

Mission Failure Penalty: -$500,000,000 USD (Direct Portfolio Value Loss).

My breath hitched for a split second, though I kept my face completely emotionless.

$500 million?! I thought, my mind racing in overdrive behind my calm eyes. Are you kidding me?!

Then the reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. May wasn’t just a friend or an athlete in our circle—she was the absolute flagship star and lead brand ambassador for Zenith Sportswear.

Her public image, physical prime, and performance ratings were directly tied to Zenith’s market valuation, global ad campaigns, and upcoming athletic lines. If her rating plummeted further and she hit a wall, Zenith Sportswear would take a devastating hit on the global stock market. And since Zenith was partially my company, a financial collapse of that scale would wipe out half a billion dollars from my wealth in an instant.

I kept every bit of that alarm buried deep inside my head, giving May a smooth, encouraging nod as she started her treadmill back up.

I need to fix this, I resolved quietly, watching her legs strike the belt. And I need to fix it fast.

I stepped closer to the treadmill, crossing my arms as I looked her in the eye. "When’s your next race? I’d like to come watch and support you in person."

May didn’t look up, her eyes glued straight ahead to the digital display. "I’m not racing for a while," she said, her tone sounding a little too casual, a little too rehearsed. "Taking a break. Stepping back for a bit."

My eyes narrowed slightly. "May... is there something you’re hiding from me?"

I took another step toward her, closing the distance between us. She immediately put her hands up, letting out a forced, defensive chuckle as she tried to dodge my gaze. "Okay, let’s not get all clingy, big guy. It’s really nothing—"

"May." I kept my voice firm, quiet, and completely focused on her.

Her composure crumbled. She hit the stop button on the treadmill again, the machine grinding to a complete halt. She stared down at her running shoes for a long, heavy moment before finally whispering the truth.

"I lost my record."