Chapter 221: Reclaiming The World Record

May took a deep breath, her eyes shining with a sudden, brilliant warmth. Instead of backing away, she grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me right back in, capturing my lips in a deep, fiery, and deeply passionate kiss that completely sealed everything we had just admitted to each other.

When she finally pulled back, resting her hands against my chest with her cheeks still flushed a pretty rose pink, a small, confident smirk returned to her face.

“Alright,” she whispered softly, her breath hitting my skin. “I’m ready now.”

“Well, well, well…” a familiar voice teased from the entryway.

We both turned to see Ruby leaning against the locker room doorframe, a massive, triumphant grin plastered across her face. Behind her, Chloe, Patricia, and Tiana were standing in the hallway, watching with fond smiles.

“That was absolutely adorable,” Ruby cooed, clasping her hands together dramatic-style. “But seriously! And here people call me the drama queen! You literally ran a 16.82s sprint and broke down crying over what turned out to just be a crush!”

“People process emotion differently, Ruby,” Chloe chimed in with a gentle chuckle, crossing her arms as she gave May an encouraging nod. “Not everyone can be as loud about their feelings as you are.”

“Oh, hush, Chloe!” Ruby squeaked playfully, stepping closer and squeezing May into a sudden, tight side-hug. “I’m just so happy! Honestly, I thought our tough little track star was going to die a stubborn virgin who only loved running shoes and protein shakes! Look at her, she’s actually in love!”

May let out a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes, reflexively trying to shove Ruby away with a light nudge to play off her embarrassment. “Get off me, Ruby, you’re ruining my jacket.”

She tried to put up her usual tough-girl front, but there was no bite behind it this time. She didn’t deny a single word Ruby said. Her gaze flicked back over to me, her eyes soft, completely open, and filled with a calm, quiet certainty.

She had stopped fighting herself. She loved me—and now that she had accepted it, the heavy storm inside her head had vanished completely.

—

May unzipped her track jacket, tossing it over the bench. She stepped back onto the glowing cyan track, bouncing lightly on her toes with a fierce, hungry look in her eyes that I hadn’t seen in weeks.

She looked back at me over her shoulder and flashed a gorgeous, dazzling grin. “Ethan… watch me.”

Tiana quickly pulled up the diagnostic monitors as May stepped up to the starting blocks, but her fingers hovered over the console with visible hesitation.

“Ethan, are you sure about this?” Tiana asked, turning her head toward me with a slight frown of concern. “She just had a massive emotional breakdown five minutes ago, her nervous system is probably exhausted, and her last run was a 16.82. Maybe she should take a break and rest until tomorrow?”

“No,” I replied smoothly, leaning against the railing with complete confidence. “She’s got this.”

Still, I kept my eyes locked on her as she settled into position. A tiny voice in the back of my mind wondered if the lingering adrenaline from earlier would get the best of her, or if that mental barrier would creep back in the moment her feet hit the ground.

May stretched her calves, adjusted her footing in the blocks, and took a deep, steadying breath. Gone was the panicked, overwhelmed girl from thirty minutes ago. Her posture was relaxed, yet primed like a loaded spring.

“Track cleared,” Tiana’s voice echoed over the intercom, still carrying a hint of worry. “Starting sequence in three… two… one…”

BANG!

The electronic starter shot fired, and May exploded out of the blocks.

Her acceleration phase was smooth, her drive low and aggressive. Within the first thirty meters, she hit her stride, cutting through the track with fierce, rhythmic power. She was undeniably fast—far faster than her baseline earlier—but as she approached the sixty-meter mark, her body began to tense up slightly, her stride threatening to cap out just short of peak world-record velocity. The hesitation was creeping back, just a whisper of doubt holding her back from unleashing everything.

Mid-sprint, May subtly tilted her head, her gaze flicking away from the track lane to look toward the sideline.

Our eyes locked.

I didn’t yell, and I didn’t tension up. I simply gave her a firm, reassuring nod, letting a quiet smirk play on my lips.

The moment she saw me, the final shadow of doubt vanished from her face. A stunning, soft smile curved on her lips, accompanied by a faint, gorgeous blush that flushed her cheeks even as the wind whipped past her. The “noise” in her head didn’t distract her anymore—it turned into pure fuel.

BOOM.

It was as if an afterburner kicked in inside her legs. May blasted off with an explosive surge of terrifying speed, her stride lengthening and her foot-strikes hammering into the track with unnatural force. She became a blurred streak of motion, tearing through the final forty meters like a bullet hitting its mark.

She crossed the finish line in a seamless, powerful finish, coasting along the deceleration track before spinning around to look up at the main monitor.

The massive LED board flashed green, updating the track records in real time:

09.11 SECONDS.

Absolute, utter silence fell over the entire Zenith facility.

Tiana stared at her tablet, her jaw completely dropped. Ruby froze mid-cheer with her mouth wide open, and Chloe leaned over the rail, blinking rapidly as if trying to re-read the numbers.

A 9.11-second 100-meter dash wasn’t just a comeback—it was a speed that smashed through human limitations, easily crushing her old world record and catapulting her into an entirely different realm of athletics.

May stood at the end of the lane, her chest heaving, hair slightly disheveled, panting heavily. She looked at the display, then slowly turned her head back to look at me across the track.

The initial shock on her face melted away, replaced by a radiant, triumphant grin.

She didn’t look away, she didn’t blush in embarrassment, and she didn’t try to play it tough. She had just shattered the world on that track—and she knew exactly who gave her the strength to do it.

Crippled Hunter: My Three Wives Investment Gets 10,000x Upgrade