Dumping The Ice King His Mini-Tyrant novel Chapter 481

She took a sip of coffee, looking completely at ease as she chatted with Quentin James and Simon Waverly. “I was just messing around at the company’s go-kart track the other day, not really trying, and somehow set the fastest lap record. Now someone’s finally come along to break it—that’s good for everyone, I suppose. But still...”

Annalise Johnston rested one hand on the railing, her gaze dropping to the track below. In just one afternoon, her record had been shattered twice, and both times by drivers who had kids riding with them. That meant, if they hadn’t been carrying children, they could have shaved off a few more seconds per lap.

A crease formed between Annalise’s brows. “Racing so hard with kids in the kart—I really don’t get it. That’s just reckless.”

There was a note of reproach in her voice.

Quentin, always eager to flatter Annalise, jumped in, “You managed to set the record without even trying. If you actually gave it your all, no one would ever come close to beating your time.”

She gave a wry smile. “If I was actually going for it, my best lap would be at least a third faster than what they just did.”

“Whoa!” Quentin and Simon both exclaimed in unison, looking at her with growing admiration.

A sharp “whoosh!” echoed from the track as the leading go-kart pulled decisively ahead. Annalise frowned, watching the action below.

She hadn’t expected there to be so many hidden talents at QuanTech Innovations. She’d been here for days, and no one had come close to her record—now, out of nowhere, someone with a child in the passenger seat had broken it. This had to be a provocation, she thought darkly.

Her expression soured even further as she remembered the warning she’d just gotten—Gwyneth Lockridge’s assistant had told her that Gwyneth wanted full cooperation with Selene Thompson, no more sabotaging her at work.

Please. As if she’d ever let herself be upstaged by a housewife.

It was probably because Selene had embarrassed her in front of so many city officials that now even the staff at QuanTech were jumping at the chance to challenge her.

Down on the track, the two karts surged across the finish line, one right after the other.

Annalise turned and headed downstairs.

Daph pulled off her helmet, letting out a dramatic gasp. “We lost!”

But she didn’t seem all that upset. She hopped off the go-kart, bouncing over to Adrian Shaw. “Mr. Shaw, should you give Mom a piggyback ride, or Altair?”

With the thick racing suit and a child in the passenger seat, it was impossible for Annalise to guess from Selene’s figure or height that the driver was a woman.

Selene, still in her kart, was lost in the afterglow of the race, the wind having roared past her helmet just moments before.

“Hello,” Annalise called, striding over.

Selene, helmet still on, looked up, puzzled, as Annalise said, “You just broke my record. I’d like to challenge you to a race.”

Selene nodded. That last run had just been a warm-up—she had no plans to get out of the kart yet.

Annalise went to suit up, grabbing her helmet and settling into the kart beside Selene’s. As they waited at the starting line, she shot Selene a playful grin and stuck out her tongue.

“Be nice to me, okay? I’m a girl—you should go easy on me.”

Selene said nothing, eyes fixed on the track ahead.