Chapter 224: She Walked Into The Trap

After a lively, chaotic breakfast with the girls, I stepped into my home office and called in my personal assistant, Sarah.

Sarah walked in with her usual sharp efficiency, a sleek tablet tucked under her arm. "You wanted to see me, boss?"

"Yeah, Sarah," I said, leaning back in my desk chair and crossing my ankles. "I need you to pull up everything on the current track world record holder—the new girl who took the top spot while May was out."

Sarah’s fingers flew across her tablet screen. Within seconds, a detailed profile popped up on the wall display in front of us.

"Her name is Winny," Sarah reported smoothly. "Twenty-two years old, currently ranked number one globally after setting the official world record three months ago. She’s signed with a top-tier athletic brand, completely dominant on the circuit, and extremely cocky about her standing."

"Where is she training right now?" I asked.

Sarah scrolled down through the schedule data. "According to her team’s private itinerary, she has a high-intensity closed session scheduled for tomorrow morning at the elite Horizon Athletics Complex downtown. She’s slated to be there all day with her core coaching team."

A slow, confident smirk spread across my face. Perfect timing.

"Good," I said smoothly. "Call the owners of the Horizon Complex right now. Tell them I’m buying out and renting the entire facility for tomorrow—no media, no outside athletes, no public access. Winny and her team can stay, but the rest of the track belongs strictly to us."

Sarah blinked in surprise, but her professional composure held strong as her pen hovered over her tablet. "Rent the whole complex, boss? On less than twenty-four hours’ notice? That’s going to cost a fortune."

"Money is the absolute last thing we worry about," I chuckled lightly. "Pay whatever price they ask to clear out the complex. Tomorrow morning, May gets her private track match."

Sarah’s eyes lit up with a knowing smile. "Consider it done. I’ll have the contract finalized and the facility locked down within the hour."

---

The morning sun beat down on the sleek glass architecture of the Horizon Athletics Complex as a luxury sports sedan pulled smoothly into the VIP drop-off zone.

Winny stepped out, her spiked track shoes slung over her shoulder and a designer sports bag hanging off her arm. Flanking her were three junior sprinters from her regional training group, all practically tripping over themselves to stay in her shadow.

"Honestly, Winny, your start off the blocks in yesterday’s clip was insane," one of the athletes gushed, trailing behind her like a dedicated fan. "No one on the circuit is even touching your record this season. You’re completely untouchable."

Winny flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder, her lips curling into a smug, practice-perfect smile. "Well, when you’re the best on the planet, perfection is just the baseline requirement," she purred, pulling on her sunglasses. "Just watch me today. I’m hitting a new benchmark during my speed sets."

She strolled toward the primary glass doors, expecting the automatic sensors to slide open as usual. Instead, two towering security guards in crisp black suits stepped forward, blocking the entryway with broad shoulders.

"Hold on," Winny frowned, slipping her sunglasses down her nose. "What is this? Get out of the way. I have a scheduled session."

"Facility is locked down, ma’am," the head guard replied in a flat, immovable voice. "No public entry. No secondary athletes."

"Secondary?!" one of the junior sprinters puffed out his chest, stepping up. "Do you even know who this is? This is Winny! The world record holder! She has the track booked all morning!"

"Correction," the guard held up a tablet displaying a sealed digital contract stamped with an astronomical wire transfer confirmation. "The entire Horizon Athletics Complex—every track, gym, and recovery suite—has been rented out exclusively for the day by a private party. The booking clears out all personnel."

The junior sprinters gasped, looking around the massive, multi-million dollar complex in utter disbelief.

"Rented the entire place out?!" one whispered, eyes wide. "Who has that kind of absurd cash to buy out a world-class training center on a random morning?"

"Wait..." the girl next to Winny suddenly gasped, her face lighting up with excitement. "Winny... did your management team do this for you?! They must have bought out the whole facility so you could train without any distractions!"

Winny blinked, caught off guard for a split second. Rented the entire complex? Her agency was generous, but dropping a fortune just to give her a private track felt excessive...

Then again, she thought, her ego instantly taking the driver’s seat, I am the reigning queen of the track. Who else would they do this for?

"Well..." Winny smirked smoothly, tucking her sunglasses back into her collar and crossing her arms with supreme arrogance. "I guess my team really knows how to treat a world record holder. Sorry, guys! Looks like I have to do my championship workout in total privacy today. Peace out!"

The junior athletes looked at her with pure green envy, murmuring in frustration as they backed away toward the parking lot. Winny strutted right past the security gates, practically floating on top of the world.

Yet, as the massive double doors sealed shut behind her, leaving the echoing atrium dead silent, a tiny prick of confusion pierced through her delusion.

"Wait... where the hell is my coach?" Winny muttered, pulling out her phone as she walked down the polished hallway toward the main indoor track.

She tapped her coach’s contact and sent a sharp text: Where are you? Security just cleared the whole building for me, but you’re not here?

A second later, her phone buzzed with a reply: Got pulled into a sudden, high-level private business meeting across town! Unavoidable emergency, Winny. Train through your warm-up reps on your own for now!

Winny rolled her eyes with an annoyed huff. "Seriously? On a prime training day?"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, inside the most exclusive, hyper-luxurious five-star spa resort in the metropolitan area...

Winny’s coach was currently sinking into a steaming, scent-infused jacuzzi, a crystal flute of vintage champagne resting in his hand. Two stunning masseuses were gently working out the knots in his shoulders while a soft breeze rustled the private cabana curtains.

Just an hour ago, an anonymous courier had delivered a VIP black card to his doorstep—promising a fully paid, unlimited luxury spa day alongside a heavy five-figure "consulting honorarium" simply for taking the morning off.

"I don’t know who sent this..." the coach sighed in absolute bliss, taking a slow sip of his champagne as the masseuses giggled softly beside him, "...but whoever you are, God bless you."

He had no idea that Ethan’s simple command—and a microscopic fraction of his assests—had bought his absence without firing a single shot.

Back at the Horizon Complex, Winny pushed open the heavy double doors leading into the main stadium track. The vast, empty arena was bathed in bright morning light, completely silent except for the soft click of her spikes on the rubber track.

She stretched her arms, stepping onto Lane 4 with a proud smile. "Alright... let’s see what a private world-record session feels like."

Before she could even position her blocks, the distant hum of the VIP tunnel entrance echoed across the silent stadium.

Smooth, confident footsteps echoed against the concrete as a small group stepped out into the arena light.