Chapter 1

Before the last glimmer of light vanished from my sight, I stumbled toward the door and pleaded, even disregarding my manly pride and kneeling.

"Cecelia! Cecelia, you can't treat me like this! You know how important this competition is to me! My mom is relying on the prize money for treatment!"

At that moment, I disregarded my dignity or my reputation, only hoping Cecelia would be kind and let me out.

My mother still lay in a hospital bed in a coma. The doctor said this week was the last chance. If we could not raise the money for the surgery, we would have to give up on her treatment.

This was like a bolt from the blue to me. I grew up without a father. It was my mother who raised me by working hard as a street vendor. How could I not save her?

Originally, I was confident I could win this competition. Unexpectedly, my girlfriend, Cecelia Holt, tricked me out and locked me in this dim basement just an hour ago.

She did all this just to prevent me from competing tomorrow and make me give up first place for her first love, Simon Ahern.

I know she always looked down on me; her being with me was merely a way for my sprinting glory to satisfy her vanity, but I never imagined she could be so heartless.

Cecelia knew my mother's situation, yet she still sneered as she raised the knife in her hand and walked toward me step by step.

The blade of the knife reflected the moonlight. My hair stood on end. "What are you gonna do?"

Her tone was flat. "Spence, I know you treat me better than anyone else. You'd do anything for me, wouldn't you? You've been a champion since you were a kid. You don't understand how Simon feels. He's worked so hard, and he's been injured so many times. Can't you let him have this just for once?"

I froze. Simon was pitiful because of his training injuries; did I deserve all my old injuries?

I could not help but retort, "You're willing to ruin my future for him? What about my mother? She's been so good to you. How can you bear to see her get hurt?"

Cecelia's expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her ruthlessness. "I've checked your mother's illness; it's not that serious at all. Don't play the victim!"

Hearing this, I lost all control of my emotions. "What nonsense are you spouting? My mother's in a vegetative state! She's practically on her deathbed! How can you say that with a clear conscience?"

In all the years we dated, I never yelled at her, and she immediately stopped.

My mother's condition seemed to have awakened the last shred of her sanity. Just when I thought things were turning around, her phone rang suddenly. Simon complained irritably, "Cecelia, I didn't see your message. I'm still training. Am I stupid? I've trained so hard, but I still can't beat Spencer Hudson..."

Cecelia's softening heart hardened again, her eyes filled with ferocity, as if I were her most heinous enemy. "Focus on your training. I promise you'll be the champion tomorrow."

After the call ended, I realized what was happening and desperately crawled backward. "No... Cecelia! No!"

Before I could finish, a sharp knife was already plunged into my thigh.

Cecelia's face was splattered with blood, making her look particularly gruesome. "Spencer, I'm sorry, but you can only blame yourself for getting in Simon's way!"