The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella) novel Chapter 1644

"Just the usual."

Ophelia had a passion for extreme sports that knew no bounds. Parkour, rock climbing, bungee jumping, and skydiving were all in her wheelhouse.

She was born with a silver spoon, the sole heiress to a prosperous family. Two years prior, upon finishing her college studies ahead of schedule, her parents had entrusted her with the family empire.

To the world, she was the formidable Ms. Almond, but behind closed doors, she morphed into a race car driver, a parkour expert, a legend on the ski slopes, and a skydiving enthusiast, among other things.

Her squad - Arabella, Kelly, and two other gals - were kindred spirits, tight as can be.

They kept to their own lives, rarely bothering each other, but were ready to lend a hand or share a slice of life in their group chat at a moment's notice.

"Perfect timing, I need a favor." Ophelia said with a beaming smile, "Took a bit of a tumble doing some extreme sports a few days ago and messed up my foot. There's an underground car race tonight, and I need you to step in for my team."

These underground races weren't as formal as the sanctioned ones; it was all about showing up and showing off.

"If we win, the other team has to hand over their track."

That track was the prized possession of some enigmatic mogul whose drift racing team was the scourge of Belloria. They boasted that no crew in Belloria could touch them and promised to hand over the track if proven wrong.

Their challenge riled up many teams, each taking turns to dethrone them. But without exception, all challengers faced a bitter defeat.

Ophelia's crew, confident as they were, had been poised to win the crown until her unfortunate injury. She had considered powering through, but her right foot just couldn't hammer the gas or slam the brakes with the necessary finesse.

"Is it serious?" Arabella asked, her concern evident, "Is the emergency stash I gave you doing any good?"