Ready to Rule: The Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 456

The first thing Lucinda noticed about Iceblade was how ridiculously good-looking he was. Standing next to Connor, he held his own without breaking a sweat. They just had totally different vibes. Connor always looked cool and untouchable, like the mysterious rich guy in a movie. Iceblade, on the other hand, gave off major pop star energy, the kind of guy fans would scream for at a concert.

At first, Lucinda thought this guy seemed pretty likable. That all changed the second she heard he was Lydia’s cousin. Her face twisted with annoyance. “Cousin? Since when does she have a cousin? How come I’ve never heard of you?”

Lydia’s reply was icy. “There’s a lot you haven’t heard about.”

Lucinda felt her cheeks burn. She was just about to snap back when Blake jumped in. “Everyone’s here, so let’s grab breakfast. We need to eat before we go check out the race.”

“Lydia’s right,” Kylie added, grinning at everyone. “Breakfast time.”

The group nodded and finally made their way to breakfast together.

Connor hadn’t relaxed since Iceblade showed up. His eyebrows were still furrowed, and it was obvious something was bothering him. Lydia seemed especially gentle with Iceblade, and it drove Connor crazy. From what Jay said, he and Lydia had grown up together and were super close. That made Connor even more uneasy—and honestly, a little jealous. He never imagined he’d feel this way about another guy.

Lydia noticed Connor’s stormy mood. Every so often, she’d tug on his sleeve like she was trying to calm him down. If she didn’t, he might have totally lost it already.

Lucinda could tell there was something special between Jay and Lydia. Her eyes darted from one to the other, and you could practically see her plotting something.

After breakfast, everyone headed over to the international racetrack.

From a distance, the place looked like something out of a futuristic sports movie. The huge oval track sparkled in the sunlight, a smooth, wide stage made for speed and drama.

When they walked in, the first thing they saw was the massive grandstand. Row after row of seats stretched out, waiting for the crowds to arrive and watch the races. The whole setup was designed so everyone could catch every exciting moment, no matter where they sat.

Lydia nodded. “He’s an A-Level driver. He’s even won an international championship before.”

“Seriously? He’s that good?” Kylie asked. She wasn’t really into racing, so she had no clue about Chris' record.

“He really is,” Lydia said.

Lucinda rolled her eyes. “It’s just racing cars. How hard can it be to win?”

Iceblade, who was sitting behind Lydia, heard her and couldn’t help speaking up. “You really shouldn’t underestimate them. Being a race car driver takes serious skill, strength, and nerves of steel. It’s all about putting in the work, pushing yourself, and never giving up. Everyone out there today is a world-class driver.”