The Underestimated Tycoon

Chapter 7

Greg and his buddies strutted through the entrance, once again leaving Ethan behind like he didn’t exist.

From the smug looks on their faces, it was clear. They were planning to enjoy the sight of Ethan still trapping outside hours later.

Ethan didn’t say a word.

He calmly pulled the sleek, black card from his pocket.

“Hey! What are you doing? That’s not one of our member cards!”

One of the guards called out, spotting the unfamiliar color.

“Let him try,” the other sneered. “What does he think this is, Costco? Just flash a random card and expect the doors to open?”

Ethan ignored them both.

He swiped the card.

The card reader blinked green, and with a soft hiss, the club’s high-security doors slid open without hesitation.

It had been mentioned by Edward Crestwood that only a handful of individuals worldwide had the privilege of becoming members with this card.

It was a mark of wealth, power, and connections that most people could only dream of.

Naturally, it granted entry to countless elite establishments.

Including the exclusive membership of Royal Stars Racing Club.

The guards watched in stunned silence as the doors slid open—just like that—after Ethan casually swiped what looked like some unknown, random card.

They blinked, trying to process what had just happened.

One of them rubbed his eyes, thinking the door had malfunctioned.

"Wait," the taller guard said, stepping forward. "That can't be right. The system must have malfunctioned!”

Ethan calmly pulled out the black card and held it up for them to see.

The guards exchanged uneasy glances, still doubtful. But Ethan’s expression remained cold and authoritative.

"Check it," Ethan said. His voice was soft, but there was a sharp edge to it that made them hesitate.

Still, they summoned their courage and snatched the card from his hand.

They ran the card through their system, and were ready to throw Ethan out with injuries if it turned out that he was wasting their time.

However, just seconds later, confirmation of Ethan’s highest-level membership appeared on their screens, and the guards’ smug expressions dropped instantly.

One of them cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Uh... Welcome, sir. Apologies for the misunderstanding.”

Ethan nodded and walked past them without sparing them another word.

They weren’t worth his time after all. After bypassing the rest of the security clearances, he finally made his way into the luxurious building. 

Inside the building, the luxurious lounge of the Royal Stars Racing Club pulsed with adrenaline.

The sound of engines and high speed race cars filled the air, and the members drove the crowd wild with their cheers.

Holographic displays hovered above the marble-paneled walls, projecting real-time stats, lap times, and profiles of elite racers from across the globe.

Aria and Natalie were seated near the front, laughing amongst themselves.

They barely noticed Ethan as he walked in. Aria, catching a glimpse of him, smirked and leaned over to Natalie.

“Looks like the guards let him in because of us,” she said, assuming her presence had somehow opened the doors for him.

Still, she was somewhat disappointed that the guards at the door hadn’t given him a tough time.

She had hoped that he would be beaten mercilessly by them before being thrown out, but that hadn’t worked out the way she thought it would.

Meanwhile, Gregory Holden was at the finish line of one the race tracks, basking in the cheers of the crowd.

He had just finished his match, effortlessly defeating his opponent and improving his global ranking once again.

On the holographic leaderboard, his name flashed near the top, marking him as the highest-ranked racer in the city.

The crowd roared Greg’s name as he stepped out of the driver’s seat of his custom red Lamborghini Reveulto, the engine’s final roar echoing through the massive underground race arena.

He pulled off his helmet, grinning broadly, basking in the deafening applause and flashing lights.

Victory looked good on him, and he knew it.

However, his smug expression shifted the moment he spotted Ethan entering the lounge area near the VIP stands, where Aria and Natalie were seated.

A sneer curled on Greg’s lips as his entourage of equally flashy racers gathered around, sensing drama.

“Well, well, look who finally decided to show up,” Greg called out, his voice loud enough to turn heads across the platform.

Conversations stilled, and all eyes shifted toward Ethan, who stood calm and composed, unaffected by the sudden attention.

Ethan locked eyes with Greg, a calm expression on his face.

Greg wiped the sweat from his temple with a towel, still grinning like he owned the place. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Ethan,”

“You don’t exactly seem to me like someone worthy of Aria’s time. In fact, I’m still trying to figure out how you managed to land an engagement with her at all.”  he said mockingly. 

Ethan said nothing, but a flicker of cold annoyance passed through his eyes.

Greg chuckled as his friends laughed behind him.

“Come on, man. You can’t really believe you belong in a place like this."

"This is the Royal Stars! People like you don’t even get through the gate."

"You’re a nobody, just a lucky clown who caught Aria on a bad day.”

More laughter followed.

Even a few members of the crowd began murmuring in agreement, watching Ethan with skeptical eyes.

Greg stepped forward, swagger in every motion.

“Tell me, Ethan, do you even have a car worthy of this club? Or are you planning to borrow Aria’s just to keep up appearances?”

Ethan’s lips curled slightly, his irritation increasing with each passing second.

“You talk a lot for someone whose wins only come from custom upgrades and bribed mechanics,”

Ethan replied coolly, his voice cutting through the smugness like a blade.

The crowd fell silent.

Greg blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then his expression darkened. 

“What did you just say?”

“You heard me,” Ethan said, walking toward the VIP area without breaking eye contact.

“You can insult me all you want, but it won’t change the fact that what I said is the truth."

"And as for the engagement you’re so obsessed with? It’s real, and you don’t have the qualifications to change that.”

A tense silence fell over the area.

Then Greg threw his towel to the ground and stalked closer, fury in his eyes.

“Fine, let's settle this the right way.” he growled angrily.

He jabbed a finger toward the track. 

“You and me. One lap around The Loop. If you lose, you back off and leave Aria for good.

End the engagement, leave, disappear—whatever. But if, by some miracle, you win… I’ll admit you belong here.”

The crowd roared in approval, chants of “Race! Race! Race!” building like thunder.

“This bet isn't worth racing for. I like your red Lambo. If I win, the car is mine.” Ethan stated boldly.

“Of course. If you win.” Greg replied coldly, flames of fury burning brightly in his eyes.

Ethan sighed. Greg had no idea what he was up against.

It was like a kid in a go-kart challenging an F1 world champion to a race.