Mr. Kane Got Blacklisted

Grace said, "Son, as long as you want to study, I will support you, whether it's for a double degree or even ten degrees! I'm so happy right now. If you're joking, please tell me, or else I'll take you seriously!" Joe smiled and hugged Grace's arm. "Mom, can't I truly want to be like my brother and make you proud?"

Grace rubbed his yellow hair affectionately. "I used to be proud of you, but after you dyed your hair yellow, not so much."

Joe was speechless. "Then I'll dye it back."

Grace immediately handed him a card from the hair salon. "Go quickly. It closes at midnight, so there's still time today."

Joe was delighted, realizing his mother had been unhappy with his yellow hair for a long time. "Alright, alright, I'll go now."

As she handed him his coat and sent him out, Grace asked, "Sweetheart, earlier you mentioned that someone talked to you, and that's what made you change your mind. Was it your teacher?"

"Not my teacher, but he does like to teach others," Joe replied. Though, in reality, he was just a crafty liar-an extremely capable one.

Grace was curious. "He just said a few words, and you suddenly saw the light? I've talked to you countless times, and nothing changed."

Joe explained, "He challenged me to run 20 kilometers, saying if I won, he'd let me join his team. He's ten years older than me, and at that moment, I thought, 'How could I lose to an old-timer?' But I did lose."

Joe scratched his head, embarrassed. "He wasn't much faster than me, but I underestimated him. He's incredibly strong-no, terrifyingly strong! I feel like there's nothing he can't do. He wasn't really trying to recruit me; he just wanted to preach to me, to get me to focus on my studies. At first, I thought you'd hired him to talk to me, but then I realized he's wealthier than our family, so that couldn't be it."

Grace was silent. Joe's words unintentionally hurt her, but she had to admit, there weren't many people in Rivera who could out-earn the Esper family. She thought hard and suddenly remembered Trevor. Stella had just visited, and right afterward, Joe was persuaded to return to school. Connecting the dots, Grace felt it was likely Trevor who'd intervened.

Grace adjusted her coat and didn't respond directly. She only told Joe to come home quickly and not stay out too late.

Joe, young and carefree, didn't notice Grace's shift in mood. He cheerfully agreed and drove off.

Not long after, his racing friend called. "Where are you? It's late, and the race starts in a few hours. Why aren't you here for a final test run?"

Joe felt a pang of nostalgia, but when he remembered his promise to Keegan and the hope he'd given his mother, he resisted. "I'm not going tonight. You guys have fun."

His friend was shocked. "Are you serious? We've been planning this for ages, and now you're backing out? What's going on? Did your family shut you down? Where are you? I can get you out if needed." "No," Joe replied softly, "I just don't see the point anymore. I've wasted a lot of time and want to catch up on my studies."

His friend laughed. "You? Studying hard? You failed three courses last semester, and now you want to buckle down? Your family's loaded-what's the point? Quit joking and get over here. There's a million-dollar prize. We've got it all planned out. Don't let me down now."

Joe frowned, feeling uneasy. This race wasn't an official event-it was a high-stakes, illegal race designed for adrenaline junkies. The prize money was tempting, but it was never about the money for Joe. His family had plenty. He joined the race for the thrill, hoping to meet a former F1 driver rumored to be the organizer.

But his friend's dismissive words struck a nerve. Joe had thought they shared a passion for racing, but now he saw some of them were in it solely for the money.

Joe realized their motivations differed from his own. For some, racing was a dangerous shortcut to wealth. He'd heard stories about illegal races where drivers risked their lives, betting everything for a big payout. He was shocked at first, but his teammates spoke of it casually, as if it were normal.

Suddenly, Joe understood what Keegan meant about goals and motivations. He'd chosen the wrong path and the wrong friends. Their dreams weren't the same.

With newfound clarity, Joe said, "I'm serious. I won't be participating in these races anymore. You should avoid them too-one wrong move, and it's all over."

His friend was stunned. "What? Who got into your head?"

Joe calmly replied, "I've made up my mind."

His friend cursed under his breath. "You're unbelievable. Who brainwashed you to pull this at the last minute?"

Joe cut him off. "If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."

"Hang up? Hell no! If you don't race, at least come to cheer ys on. After all the practice we've done together, don't just ditch us now."

Joe hesitated. The race started at 2 AM, and he had promised his mom he'd come home after dyeing his hair.

"Fine," his friend snapped. "If you don't show up tonight, don't expect me to know you anymore. What a waste of time it was knowing you!"

The harsh words stung Joe, and he sighed, reluctantly giving in "Alright, I'll come overVater, but only to celebrate if we win." Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.