Chapter 163 The Conditions of Giving In
Mr. Hoffer spread out his hands. “So what can I do? Moreover, aren’t the both of them fine now?”
“You!” Franklin flew in a rage and wanted to hit Mr. Hoffer. But his actions were stopped by Ben Ludwig. “Don’t be impulsive.”
Mr. Hoffer smiled. “Yes, don’t be impulsive. If you hit me, it might not just be a half-year racing suspension. With my power, you might not be able to appear at any racing circuits in Yorktown for the rest of your life.”
Franklin was so angry he balled up his fists furiously. Ben Ludwig patted his shoulder and gave him a look that signaled, let Sonny Kalzarc take care of him. Sonny Kalzarc nodded and pulled Franklin away to the back.
At this time, Jean Eyer walked to Ben Ludwig’s side. Upon seeing her rush over, Ben Ludwig’s eyes flickered. “Didn’t I tell Sonny Kalzarc not to tell you.”
“I had something to do with this too. It’s impossible for me to just leave it alone.”
Although she may not be of any help, she definitely wouldn’t back down if she needed to testify in court. There was guilt in his eyes as Ben Ludwig looked over sadly.
Mr. Hoffer crossed his legs beside them. “If you want to be all lovey-dovey, do it outside. I don’t have the time to entertain you.”
Jean Eyer walked up to him and glanced at the cigar on his table. She smiled and asked him, “Is it good?”
“Of course, this is…”
Mr. Hoffer was about to continue on blissfully but was interrupted by Jean Eyer. “This was from Chamberlain Roddy’s anniversary edition series, one cigar alone is more than one million.”
“Huh?” Mr. Hoffer clearly didn’t think that it was so expensive.
He put out the cigar immediately and wrapped it up carefully.
Looking at him, Jean Eyer was more certain that he must’ve received favors from some people. In Yorktown, the people who could get such good cigars were few. Furthermore, this was a whole series. Only companies that partnered with them could receive a gift of this level.
Edgar Royden once had a partnership with Chamberlain Roddy.
Jean Eyer’s eyes dulled. She didn’t think that Edgar Royden was not only scheming but also shameless to this extent.
“Did someone from the Eyer Group ask you to suspend us from racing?
Jean Eyer’s voice was neither loud nor soft. It surrounded the whole office.
Mr. Hoffer’s face changed immediately. He denied it with a dry laugh. “What are you saying? I don’t understand! We do our own things in the Racing Association, and we have our own rules.”
“What in the world do we need to do before we’re qualified to race again?” Ben Ludwig frowned and stared at him, his gaze filled with ugly intent.
Mr. Hoffer knew that the Ludwig family stood behind him.
But he couldn’t afford to offend either side with the power they had.
“This…” Mr. Hoffer looked at Ben Ludwig’s legs. He heard that Ben Ludwig had multiple operations in the hospital and was still recovering.
“We have many investors at the Racing Association, and there is a lot of money at stake in these few competitions. Your mistakes have brought a bad name onto the competition. So, unless you go for another competition and beat the first-place record by more than ten seconds, then I will be willing to change the judgement.”
Mr. Hoffer’s face looked like he was in a pickle. “What I can do is only so much.”
“He’s crazy, break the record by more than ten seconds?”
Everyone in the Dark Horse Team was angry. Mr. Hoffer was clearly trying to torment them.
Sonny Kalzarc couldn’t listen anymore. “Ben Ludwig, forget it. Let’s leave. There’s no need to stay here and be insulted.”
This was what Mr. Hoffer hoped to see.
Ben Ludwig stood there. His feet were steady and unmoving. “I’ll do it.”
“No, you just recovered from your operation, you can’t go on the racetrack.” Sonny Kalzarc’s attitude was firm. “You know how the racetrack is like. You can’t force yourself. With your current condition, do you think you can make it back alive if you get in the car?”
Ben Ludwig balled his fists. “Even if I die, I want to die in the car.”
“Ben Ludwig.” Jean Eyer suddenly said in a low voice.
She looked at Ben Ludwig and said lightly, “If something happened to you, what would Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig do?”
Ben Ludwig’s eyes flickered.
In this time, his parents had grown haggard because of his hospitalization.
Jean Eyer and Sonny Kalzarc’s eyes met. She said, “Let me do it.”
Everyone was astonished. Ben Ludwig was the first to oppose. “No, it’s too dangerous.”
“I was in the car at the time, and I know the difficulty of the competition. In this situation now, is there anyone more suitable than me?” Jean Eyer asked, looking at Sonny Kalzarc. “I remember that any opinions must be raised within a week of the judgement results. Otherwise, it’ll be the default, right?”
Sonny Kalzarc nodded. “Yes. Today’s the first day.”
“Ben Ludwig, I know what I’m doing.”
Jean Eyer wasn’t being impulsive. She only proposed this idea because she was confident.
She was someone who’d already experienced a near-death situation. She wouldn’t simply gamble her life away.
Edgar Royden rejected it with dark eyes. “No, you know how dangerous it is. If anything happens…”
Jean Eyer smiled bitterly. “It’s fine. I’m the only one left in the Eyer family.”
If anything really happened to her, there wouldn’t be anyone who’d grieve over her.
“You still have…”
Before Ben Ludwig could finish, the sound of footsteps came from the outside, which was followed by Edgar Royden’s figure at the door. Behind him were a few staff members from the Racing Association.
“Mr. Hoffer, Mr. Royden is here!”
In an instant, Mr. Hoffer stood up. “Mr. Royden!”
There was fine dust on Edgar Royden from rushing over. He fixed his gaze on Jean Eyer and said with a deep voice, “You’re not a racer, you can’t go on.”
“You’re not from the Racing Association, who are you to tell me what to do?” Jean Eyer was furious.
If he didn’t go back on his word, things wouldn’t have gotten out of hand like this.
She also felt that Edgar Royden had been lying to her from the start.
And she was still silly enough to believe that she could trust this man.
With just a glance from Edgar Royden, Mr. Hoffer explained hastily. “That’s different, Mr. Royden is one of the investors of this competition. He has the right to make decisions.”
That was the power of having capital.
Jean Eyer gritted her teeth in anger, but there was nothing she could do about it.
The racing team understood that the Racing Association was making things difficult for them on purpose. But now, they could only bow their heads and give in.
Sonny Kalzarc dragged Ben Ludwig and Jean Eyer away. “Forget it, isn’t it just half a year? Let’s leave.”
Ben Ludwig hung his head. He couldn’t help but admit that this time, he really lost. He not only suffered disgrace but also lost his dignity as a racer.
But what could he do?
He couldn’t bear Jean Eyer taking a risk for him.
“Jean Eyer, let’s go,” he said dejectedly.
If Edgar Royden didn’t come here, Jean Eyer might’ve agreed to compromise.
But now, the fire in her eyes was only directed at Edgar Royden. She said firmly, word for word, “I’m not leaving. I want to go on. Mr. Hoffer said it himself just now, as long as I beat the record by ten seconds, he’ll change the judgement.”
The Dark Horse Team had just stood on their own feet in recent years. How could they be suspended from racing for half a year just because of something small.
A driver’s prime was barely a few years.
“Jean Eyer, I’m not worth you doing this.” Ben Ludwig’s brows wrinkled tightly. He dragged Jean Eyer’s wrist. “Forget it.”
He couldn’t get over the idea of a woman standing up for him.
