Chapter 194

Jerrold snatched up the documents, his face draining of color as he read. The stock had indeed been halted. In just half an hour, the Lonsdale Group had lost millions. And the attack wasn’t stopping.
Who could be behind this? Jerrold scrambled to his computer and tried to trace the account that had targeted their stock, but all the information was hidden. There were only a handful of people in all of Eclara City capable of forcing a halt on the Lonsdale Group’s stock in under thirty minutes. Just who had Juniper gotten involved with?
“If the Sherwin family wasn’t useful for our business expansion, a girl like Yolanda wouldn’t even be allowed to set foot in our home,” Forbes sneered. “And that wild child, Juniper, has apparently cozied up to someone very powerful.”
Jerrold said nothing, his jaw tight. It had to be some rich, ruthless old man… But who? Regardless of who was backing her, he swore he would make her pay for this.
…
Meanwhile, Juniper had finished a shopping spree, buying a mountain of things for Saskia and Janet-clothes, necessities, everything they could possibly need. When she got home, she collapsed onto the sofa and unlocked her phone. A news alert from two hours ago immediately popped up: trading on the Lonsdale Group’s stock had been suspended.
Two hours ago? That was right after the incident at the mall. Who would have retaliated on her behalf?
After a moment, Juniper’s fingers flew across her phone’s screen. She hacked into the Lonsdale Group’s stock system and traced the attacker.
Oh. It was Shanley.
The incident had made waves online, so it was no surprise he’d seen it. She just hadn’t expected him to quietly deal with the Lonsdales for her. A warmth spread through her chest.
“Beep-beep.”
As Juniper stared at her chat with Shanley, wondering how to thank him, another message appeared.
Ghoul: [J, are you there?]
Formula 1 Racing, also known as F1, is the pinnacle of motorsport. And “J” was a legend among legends in the F1 world.
Four years ago, at just fourteen, a driver known only as J had shattered tradition, competing as a minor and storming the circuit. J defeated multiple former F1 champions to claim the title becoming an o overnight sensation. For the next two years, J continued to race and remained undefeated.
Then, at seventeen, after securing a third consecutive championship, J vanished from the world of F1. Incredibly private, J had never shown dce, and their gender
remained a mystery. No one knew
what happened to the prodigy, but the records J set remained
unbroken.
J?
Juniper raised an eyebrow at the familiar, yet distant, codename.
J: [?]
Ghoul: [J, is it really you? Am I actually talking to the living, breathing J?]
Ghoul was practically weeping with joy. For the past two years, he hadn’t been able to reach J. Rumors had spread that J had died in a racing accident, and he had mourned for a long time. He’d sent today’s
message on a whim, never
expecting a reply.
J frowned and typed slowly: [Yeah, still breathing.]
Ghoul’s reply was instantaneous: [J, the new F1 season is kicking off in Eclara City!
Are you going to race?]
Racing? It felt like a lifetime ago. A thrill for a reckless youth.
Now… all she wanted was to study, go to college, and fulfill her grandfather’s last
wish. And then, finally, just relax and do nothing.