Chapter 1

When Ryder Calloway came to see me, I had not seen him for nearly half a year.

He had studied abroad for three years, yet after returning home, he had not sent me a single message.

A few days earlier, I received a voice recorder mailed from overseas. The moment I turned it on, the first thing I heard was a burst of laughter.

"Hahaha, Ryder, you're unbelievable! Not only did you get your racing license, but you even hooked up with the hottest grid girl in the paddock! Nova, hurry and tell us, how does Ryder drive in bed?"

A flirtatious female voice answered, "Do I even need to say it? Straight to the fast lane, obviously!"

A piercing shriek followed instantly, so loud it almost tore through my eardrums.

I lowered the volume of the recorder and kept listening.

"Ryder, what about your fiance back home? Haven't you two been engaged for three years? Aren't your families pushing you to marry her?"

My fingers clenched unconsciously as I turned the volume all the way up.

"Fiance? What do kids know about love? Lyra Hawthorne and I haven't even seen each other for more than half a year. At best, she's just my parents' free live-in caretaker. She's obedient and easy to deal with."

Someone teased him, "Damn, Ryder, you really are something. You even got the Hawthorne heiress to willingly play nanny."

The voices paused for a few seconds. Then I heard Ryder give a mocking laugh. "Well, what can I say? She likes me that much."

After I finished listening to that recording, my mind went completely blank. All I did was wait for Ryder to come back and give me an explanation.

Now, his red Porsche was parked right outside my house. The car window was open, and he was sitting in the driver's seat.

One hand pinched the girl's chin beside him. The other cradled the back of her head as he kissed her deeply, lingering, completely without restraint.

Suddenly, I remembered the day three years ago when Ryder first left to study abroad. In the airport waiting lounge, he had gently kissed my cheek, his eyes bright.

"Lyra, be good and wait for me at home. When I graduate, I'll come back and marry you."

Apparently, he had forgotten every word.

I took a deep breath and shifted a few steps away, turning my gaze elsewhere. It seemed there was no need for an explanation anymore.

A full ten minutes passed before I finally heard the car door open. Ryder walked toward me unhurriedly, wiping the corner of his lips.

"You saw that, right?" he said casually. "Let's just forget about the engagement. You're a good person. You just don't have much personality. The kind of girl I like needs to be confident, bold, and full of energy. You don't have any of that."

The Porsche window lowered a few inches. The girl in the passenger seat whistled toward us and even blew a kiss.

Ryder clearly loved that kind of thing. He smiled at her with open indulgence.

"Her name is Nova. We share the same interests. A simp like you will never understand the thrill of racing."

Moonlight fell across his face. Yet the way he looked at Nova was even softer than the moonlight.

I tried my best to suppress the turbulence in my chest. My voice carried a trace of bitterness. "You've decided? It has to be today?"

Ryder paused for a few seconds before laughing. "Do you need to check the calendar to break off an engagement?"

That was true.

I nodded. "Alright. I understand."

Perhaps my reaction was calmer than he expected. Ryder seemed slightly uncomfortable instead.

"If there's anything you need help with, just tell me," he said. "For example, do you need me to explain it to your family?"