I had just bought a new car when my husband's childhood sweetheart got her driver's license and asked to borrow it for practice.

Considering that she had taken the second part of the exam five times, I found an excuse to refuse.

That day, his childhood sweetheart rented a car on her own to practice. Alas, she ended up mixing up the gas and brake pedals. She crashed into a luxury store window, landing herself in massive debt.

When my husband found out, he was so angry he shook all over. "Your car has full insurance! She wouldn't have been so nervous if you had lent it to her! Now her life is ruined!"

I retorted, "This is a driving skill issue. Accidents can happen no matter whose car you use for practice. What she needs is a good instructor."

My husband slumped into a chair, then looked up at me after a long silence and smiled. "You're right, honey. I was being foolish."

From then on, my husband pampered me endlessly. He drove me to and from work every day, rain or shine.

When I was eight months pregnant and having trouble getting around, he gently suggested we go for a drive.

As we drove along the winding mountain road, he suddenly stopped and opened the door on the driver's side. His childhood sweetheart appeared out of nowhere, looking at me shyly.

"Honey, you refused to let Mary practice with our new car, leaving her saddled with debt. Today, you'll be her sparring partner on this mountain track. You're still pregnant, so hold on tight and don't let her get nervous."

——

"Grayson, have you lost your mind?"

I gripped the car door handle tightly, my voice trembling. The eight-month-old baby in my womb kicked restlessly, causing me to break out in a cold sweat.

The winding mountain road hugged the edge of the cliff, with a sheer drop on one side. I knew all too well how many people had died on this mountain race track.

"Alaire, last time you gave her a trauma. This time, you'd better cooperate!"

"Otherwise, I'll push you off this cliff!"

My heart raced.

Mary excitedly sat in the driver's seat, fastening her seatbelt with a light touch. She held a sports camera in her hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Alaire, I've only driven this track on a simulator before, so you'll have to guide me properly." She said in a sweet voice, turning on the sports camera and aiming it at my face.

"Today, I'm going to livestream myself conquering this mountain track!"

Live stream? She's going to broadcast my death to the entire internet?

I desperately tried to unbuckle my seatbelt and escape, my fingers frantically pressing the buckle. But the buckle wouldn't budge; it was glued shut.

"Grayson!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, "I'm carrying your child! Let me out!"

Grayson had already gotten into the car behind us, shining his high beams at us. His cold laughter came through the car phone. "Honey, don't worry. Driving is easy."

"Those female racers can't even tell left from right, but they're still driving on the road, aren't they? Don't be afraid! Mary has studied the track guide. Her racing license depends on you."

Racing license? She can't even drive normally, yet she wants a racing license?

"I don't want it!" I struggled to step on the brake.

Still, Mary slammed her foot on the gas pedal.

The car sped off like a madman and the roar of the engine pierced the night sky.

The first turn was right in front of us.

"Slow down! Slow down quickly!" I screamed.

Mary, however, shouted excitedly, "Wow, this is so thrilling! Alaire, look how well I'm driving!"

She had no intention of slowing down; instead, she pressed the gas pedal even harder.

The speedometer needle was spinning wildly, already hitting 120.

The curve was getting closer.

I closed my eyes, thinking this was the end.

But Mary suddenly jerked the steering wheel and the car scraped past the guardrail through the curve.

I opened my eyes and realized we were still alive.

"See? I told you I could do it!" Mary boasted triumphantly to the camera.

"Even Alaire was amazed by my skills!"

Amazed? I was scared out of my wits!

Before I could recover, a second, even tighter turn appeared.

This time it was a series of S-curves.

"Mary, please stop the car!" I pleaded tearfully, "I beg you!"

"No way, I'm going to conquer the entire track." Her eyes gleamed with madness.

"Alaire, aren't you supposed to be so skilled? Why are you so scared now?"

Grayson's laughter came through the car phone. "Honey, cooperate with Mary. If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you."

I was desperate.

The baby in my belly kicked even harder.

Mary ignored my pain and continued to accelerate wildly.

The car raced madly along the mountain road, each turn a matter of life and death.

I clutched my stomach tightly, tears streaming down my face.

"Don't be afraid, Alaire. I'm just helping you experience the thrill of speed." Mary wore an innocent smile on her face.

She suddenly leaned close to my ear, her voice low and menacing. "You worthless woman, just wait and see how I'll throw you and your baby bastard off the cliff today!"

Cold sweat soaked my back instantly.

I desperately tried to grab the steering wheel, but Mary pushed my hand away. The car swayed wildly under her control, the tires screeching against the ground.

"Grayson, help me!" I pleaded toward the light in the rearview mirror.

Grayson's cold voice came through the car phone. "I've studied Mary's driving style. It's aggressive and talented. It's a bit thrilling at first, but don't be afraid."

Mary didn't even look at the road. Instead, she took out a guidebook and flipped through it, muttering to herself, "We need to use inertia drift here."

My heart pounded and the baby in my belly kicked even more violently.

"Grayson, I beg you, make her stop the car! I'll do whatever you say from now on. She's going to kill us!" I screamed, my voice hoarse.

"It's too late." Grayson remained expressionless. "You didn't even want to let her practice driving before. Why would you listen to me now?"

Mary put down the guidebook and suddenly turned the steering wheel all the way to the left. The rear of the car slammed into the mountainside, emitting a piercing screech. Sparks flew everywhere.

"Grayson, look! She's going to kill me!" I cried in despair.

In the car behind us, Grayson said calmly, "I trust Mary. The method she's using must help with turning."

I suddenly remembered something. "I'll have my dad give you that sponsorship you negotiated with Fenmore Group!"

Grayson was shocked. "Do you know the Fenmore Group's chairman?"

"He's the manager of my dad's racing team."

Mary burst into laughter. "You crazy woman, you really know how to brag."

Grayson snapped out of it and sneered, "You probably don't even know which direction the company's entrance faces."

Through the rearview mirror, I saw countless comments scrolling in Mary's live stream.

[Mary is excellent! This is an actual skill!]

[Who's that woman next to her? She was so frightened that her face turned pale. How embarrassing!]

Mary even turned the camera toward me, exposing my fear and embarrassment to everyone.

She deliberately drove the car to the edge of the cliff, with the wheels kicking up gravel, half the car hanging in the air. The guardrail was shattered and the pieces bounced off the windshield.

I wanted to cover my face, but my hands were gripping the handle so tightly I couldn't move.

"Grayson, please. I beg you. Make her stop!" This was the fourth time I had begged him.

Grayson frowned, finally looking a little uneasy.

Mary explained softly, "Grayson, professional race car drivers have to undergo stress training. It's a necessary part of becoming a professional driver. I'm just helping Alaire overcome her fear."

Grayson could only say, "Alright then."

Just then, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen. A hot rush of fluid poured out.

My vision went black from the pain. "I ... I'm going into labor ... stop the car now!"

But Mary's smile grew wider. "Alaire, let me give you a hand."

She suddenly stomped on the accelerator and charged toward the most dangerous five consecutive hairpin turns.

The engine roared deafeningly. The speedometer needle was spinning wildly, already hitting 150.

The first turn was right in front of us.

I closed my eyes, convinced I was going to die.

"Ugh … ugh." I was in so much pain I could barely breathe.

The car swayed wildly under Mary's reckless control, each drift causing excruciating pain in my abdomen.

She completely ignored my pain and instead excitedly shouted, "Alaire, do you feel the allure of speed?"

Blood kept flowing from between my legs, staining the seat red. But I couldn't feel the pain anymore.

This was definitely not a good sign.

"Grayson, help! Look at the baby. I'm not going to make it."

I desperately pleaded for help through the rearview mirror, my voice hoarse.

Mary said softly, "Alaire, your condition is a bit dangerous; you might go into premature labor. I'm just trying to get you to the hospital faster."

To the hospital? She's trying to kill me!

During my pregnancy, my dad had repeatedly urged me to rest and take care of the baby, saying my position was perfect and I could have a natural birth.

Now she says she's taking me to the hospital?

The car was speeding up and Mary's eyes were gleaming with madness. She was glancing at her notes while wildly turning the steering wheel.

"Here, uses inertial drift."

The final curve came into view.

Mary made a technical error and the front of the car slammed into the guardrail.

The massive collision echoed through the valley.

The airbag deployed instantly, slamming into my stomach.

"No … "

I suddenly felt an emptiness in my belly.

The baby ... was gone.

I trembled as I looked down at myself. My lower body was covered in blood.

Mary, however, was unharmed. Her face flushed with excitement as she shouted into the live stream camera. "Guys, I did it! I conquered the mountain!"

The live stream chat was flooded with messages.

[Mary is so amazing!]

[What an incredible skill!]

[What's wrong with the woman next to her? Why does she look so pale?]

Grayson finally arrived, hugging Mary happily and saying, "Mary, now you can get your professional racing license."

He was my husband.

But at that moment, he didn't look at me once.

I was covered in blood, my life hanging in the balance, yet he was celebrating.

"This is all thanks to Alaire for helping me overcome my fear." Mary smiled sweetly.

Grayson finally looked at me. "Alaire, you've always wanted that Angel Series racing suit, right? I'll buy it for you today as a reward for being my practice partner."

That racing suit was my teenage dream.

I had pointed to the poster and shown it to him, hoping he would give it to me on my birthday.

He agreed to buy it for me now, not because he loved me, but because I had used my life and my child's life as a stepping stone for Mary.

"By the way, Grayson, the racing circle is too chaotic now. Let me help you figure out if she really loves you."