Everyone knew that Sloan Caldwell had two personalities. My dominant self—the real me—loved the composed and steady Rhys Caldwell. My alternate self, however, loved the wild, reckless Jax Donovan. Two years ago, Jax was in a motorcycle accident at the track, and my usually compliant alternate personality violently seized control of my body. For two long years, I became Jax’s willing doormat. Until the day I overheard him talking to his friends in the VIP lounge. “You bet the guys you could lure out the alternate Sloan, even crashing your bike to do it.” “Now she’s chased you for two years, and you’re going to marry Willow Hart.” “Jax… are you telling me you feel nothing for Sloan?” From inside the private room, I heard Jax’s dismissive, almost amused voice. “I was just curious, trying to mess with her head. How was I supposed to know she’d suffocate the real Sloan for me?” 1 Hearing the noise, Jax immediately stood up and opened the rest area door. Seeing me, he looked momentarily flustered. “You… you heard something?” I suppressed the immediate, sharp anguish inside me, pointing to the helmet on the floor with a strained, fake smile. “Heard what? Didn’t you ask me to bring you your helmet? I ran so fast I tripped and dropped it.” Jax’s tension visibly eased, but in the very next second, his relaxed brow twisted into a deep, angry frown. He picked up the helmet and shouted at me, his eyes red with fury. “Sloan, was that on purpose?! You know that’s the one Willow gave me. Why couldn’t you be more careful!” My gaze dropped to where he was pointing. On the cheap, forty-dollar helmet—the kind you’d buy at a roadside stop—was a scratch thinner than a strand of hair. My heart went ice cold. I managed a soft, hollow, “I’m sorry.” Jax was obsessed with racing, and I knew a quality helmet could save your life. I had custom-ordered over a dozen different, cutting-edge helmets from Germany for him. Totaling over twenty thousand dollars, he never even glanced at them. But the forty-dollar helmet Willow picked up from a flea market? He treated it like a priceless relic. He even insisted on wearing that cheap piece of plastic every single time he competed. “An apology means nothing now, does it? Forget it. Get out of my way.” Jax shoved me aside and strode out the door. On the track, Jax was geared up, his red and white leathers making him look every bit the dashing, arrogant racer. Before the race started, he pushed up the dark visor of his helmet and scanned the spectator stands. The track camera followed his line of sight, sweeping across the audience. One of his buddies in front of me turned back and winked teasingly. “Hey, Sloan, Jax is looking at you!” Sure enough, Jax’s gaze was fixed on my section. I instinctively stood up, waving tentatively toward him. The camera paused on my face for a single second before quickly shifting. Then, cheers erupted from the front row seats, led by Willow Hart. “Go, Jax! You have to take first place, Honey!” She flashed a huge, beaming smile and a heart-sign for the camera. Only then did Jax pull his visor down, focusing on the pre-race routine. The front row was reserved for contestants’ families. Jax had allocated his two spots to Willow and his closest friend. The seat I was in? I’d waited five agonizing hours in line, only to have the tickets sell out just before my turn. I’d then paid a scalper five hundred dollars for a ticket in the back. But he was always like this, wasn’t he? I thought I could wear him down, convince him. Until I heard his words today. Jax, predictably, took first place again. The camera zoomed in as Willow excitedly ran onto the track and kissed him. I felt utterly hollow, standing up and stumbling out of the speedway. Late that night, Jax called me again. “Sloan, Booth 1 at The Apex Club. You have ten minutes to get here.” I heard other voices in the background. “You better hurry, or Jax might belong to someone else!” He hung up without waiting for a response. I hesitated for a few seconds, but the deeply ingrained habit of the alternate self won out, and I put on my coat. Due to the time crunch, I only threw on a simple black trench coat over my pajamas. My home was at least thirty minutes from the club. I arrived with literally one second to spare on his ten-minute ultimatum. I threw open the door to the booth. Jax was locked in a passionate, deep kiss with Willow Hart. The sound of hooting and cheering erupted around them. The moment he saw me, the hazy look in Jax’s eyes vanished. He quickly released Willow. “You came so fast? Don’t get the wrong idea, I just… I lost a round of Truth or Dare, and they dared me to…” 2 “Don’t be mad, Sloan. Come sit and play with us!” one of his buddies, a big guy named ‘Tank,’ coaxed. An expression of displeasure crossed Jax’s face. He glared at Tank. “Stop calling her that!” Tank quickly shut his mouth. “Jax… let’s just go home.” I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat, stepping forward to gently pull at the hem of his jacket. A wicked, cocky smile spread across Jax’s face. He was all rogue charm. “You came all this way. You’re not going to drink a toast to my win?” Caught in his intense, seductive gaze, I completely forgot I was severely allergic to alcohol. The straight liquor burned its way down my throat, and I doubled over, coughing violently. “That’s not fair, Jax,” another friend chimed in. “Willow didn’t even have to drink!” Jax dropped the playful act. “She’s a girl, why would she drink hard liquor? Juice is fine for her. I’d drink it for her if I had to.” “Ooh-la-la, protective much!” Willow stood up, holding her juice glass, and came over to pat my back. She asked, gently and with false concern, “Sister, are you okay? Would you like some of the juice Jax got me?” “No, thank you.” I weakly pushed the glass away from my face. “Ah! Sister, how could you!” I felt a sudden, cold dampness spread over me. The next thing I knew, a teary, victimized Willow was nestled securely in Jax’s arms. Jax looked at me with open disgust. “If you didn’t want the juice, fine! Why did you have to shove her?” My eyes stung with tears, and I bit my lip hard. “I didn’t shove her!” Hiding in Jax’s embrace, Willow suddenly gasped. “Jax, look what Sister is wearing under her coat! It’s so… gross.” All eyes in the room turned to me. I looked down, confused, only to realize my black coat had fallen open. The orange juice had soaked my silk slip dress. The fabric clung to my skin, clearly outlining the shape of my chest. Jax’s eyes momentarily darkened. Mortified, I clutched the neck of my gown. Several of the men swallowed hard. “Sloan rushing here so fast… does she want to take Jax home and, you know… heh heh heh.” “I can’t believe it, Sloan. You always seemed so reserved, but who knew you were such a tease?” My face burned. I lowered my head, desperate to escape this public execution. Perhaps it was the alcohol, or the allergy kicking in, but I felt intensely hot, with an unbearable itching across my arms and thighs. Jax seized my wrist tight. His gaze held a mix of mockery and a hidden, raw lust. “Why leave? You wore this because you wanted me, didn’t you? You wanted me to take you right here?” “Jax!” Willow’s face was a mask of sheer offense. Jax glanced at her, then back at me. “I’ll give you a chance. Go lie down on the sofa.” My body trembled. A tidal wave of shame washed over me. “Jax, I do love you, but that doesn’t mean I’ll sacrifice my dignity for you!” I violently wrenched my wrist free and scrambled out of the club. I drove straight to the pharmacy for allergy medication. When I got home, I saw Willow had posted an update. She was wearing a short, black mini-skirt, straddling Jax’s hundred-thousand-dollar Ducati, and wearing the cat-ear helmet he bought her. “My boyfriend brought me up the mountain road to feel the speed and the wind! Congrats on the first place again!” I remembered Jax had never let me touch his bike. The one time I insisted on riding, he cranked the speed past 120 mph and refused to let me hold his waist. Without a helmet, I nearly flew off the back, clutching the passenger rail for dear life. My mind felt faint, detached. I gripped my chest hard and whispered, “Hold on… just hold on.” The storm of emotions slowly subsided. I scrolled through Willow’s profile. Soon after, she posted again. 3 “Jax says that if you kiss the one you love at sunrise, you’ll be together forever. He just proposed to me!” I instantly recognized the diamond ring on her hand. It was the one Jax had taken me to the boutique to pick out just a few days ago. The salesperson had even congratulated me then, saying how lucky I was to have such a generous future husband. My phone rang again. It was Jax. Wasn’t he supposed to be on the mountain? I wanted to ignore it, but my hand, acting against my will, hit Answer. “I’m outside your building. Get down here.” Jax’s voice was, as always, cold and demanding. Seeing him, a bitter smile pulled at my lips. “Shouldn’t you be on the mountain with Willow? What do you want with me?” Jax’s eyes narrowed, a trace of invisible annoyance flickering within. “So you see me with her, and you’re completely unfazed?” I screamed out in frustration. “What else am I supposed to do?! Follow you around like before, watching the two of you making out?!” Jax’s face froze, and he fell silent. He opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes suddenly fixated on my neck. “What’s on your neck?” I gave a harsh, humorless laugh. “Thanks to you, it’s an allergic rash from the liquor.” Jax looked stunned, his lips slightly parted, a flicker of confusion and regret crossing his eyes. I noticed two motorbikes parked near the curb, and a knot of dread tightened in my stomach. I looked up, my voice trembling slightly as I asked, “Jax, what exactly do you want from me?” He suddenly moved closer, leaning down slightly, his voice low and mesmerizing. A key was pressed into my palm. “Sloan, ride this bike. Take one lap around Coastal Bay, and I’ll agree to be your boyfriend.” My breath caught. All the color drained from my face. Since that one terrifying high-speed ride with him, I had developed a deep, paralyzing phobia of motorcycles. Just watching him race made me sick with anxiety. Ride a bike? Impossible! But Jax grabbed my hand, electrifying me with his seductive gaze. “Sloan, didn’t you say you’d do anything for me?” Seeing my silence, Jax cupped my face. “Just ride it for a stretch, and I promise, I’ll settle down and dedicate myself to only you.” I involuntarily curled my fingers, and my tightly pressed lips parted. “Okay!” Jax gave a delighted chuckle, his eyes full of wicked triumph. I straddled the motorcycle, my hands shaking as I turned the key. The roar of the engine vibrated through my chest. I dropped the clutch, twisted the throttle, and shot forward like an arrow. Behind me, I faintly heard loud, roaring laughter. The sheer terror made me scream again and again until I finally crashed into a roadside barrier. My face was pale and slick with cold sweat. By the time Jax, Willow, and the others found me, I couldn’t speak a single word. Jax stopped his bike and moved to help me up. I fiercely shoved him away. I ground my teeth, tears streaming down my face. Jax’s throat bobbed. He slowly clenched his fists, and a flash of regret appeared in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I thought…” Willow rushed over, playfully punching Jax’s arm. “Sister, don’t be mad! I tried to stop Jax, but he just had to prove to me that he doesn’t love you!” In that moment, all hope shattered. I used every ounce of my remaining strength to slap Jax across the face. “Get lost!” The apology in Jax’s eyes instantly vanished. He laughed, a cold, hard sound. His voice dropped to a freezing point. “You said it. Don’t ever come crawling back to me.” The roar of his engine faded into the distance. My vision blurred, and something deep inside me rushed to the surface. Drained of all strength, I collapsed into the grass behind me. Jax didn’t know it, but from that moment on, he was no longer worthy of my love. 4 Ten minutes later, I opened my eyes. I looked at the motorcycle beside me and sighed. Then, I got up effortlessly, uprighted the bike, and fired the ignition. There was no hesitation, no wasted motion. A short while later, a high-performance BMW S1000RR tore through the street, carving corners with knee-dragging precision that was astonishingly skillful. I rode home and immediately dialed a number in the States. After hanging up, I lay in the bathtub until the water covered my mouth and nose. It was then I truly realized the other me was back. The alternate self, having lost all will to live, chose to fuse. She didn’t disappear; she became a part of my soul. But from now on, I was in control. Three days later, for the championship final, a new name appeared on the roster: Sloan Caldwell. On the track, Jax was exchanging smiles with Willow in the stands. When the announcer called my name, he nearly stalled his bike. Through my reflective visor, I saw his expression—a mixture of confusion and shock—and a flicker of disdain crossed my eyes. Jax scanned the line of racers, his eyes lingering on me for a moment. He finally left, looking disappointed. I was fully encased in my race suit, with chest and back protectors, and thick padding on my knees. My signature long hair was tucked under my helmet, making me look indistinguishable from any of the male racers. It would be impossible for him to recognize me as Sloan Caldwell. With half an hour left before the race, Willow walked onto the track to bring Jax a water bottle. Jax took off his cheap, forty-dollar helmet. Willow looked concerned. “Jax, I heard Sister’s name on the broadcast. Do you think she actually…” Jax tilted his head back, taking a long drink of water, his eyes full of scoffing disbelief. “You saw her ride. Sloan nearly killed herself the other day trying to ride that thing!” “There’s no way she’d race!” “Besides, I scanned the track, there are no women out here. It has to be someone with the same name.” Willow breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she gave him a coy, hopeful look. “You have to do great, Jax. My friends are huge fans, and they all bought tickets just to watch you!” “Don’t forget… what you promised me.” Jax’s eyes darted away. He muttered a deep, “I know.” Willow had been pressuring him to make their relationship public for a long time. He’d always held off because of me. But after that night, he’d finally agreed to her request. Still, why was he so desperately hoping I would show up? If I had just come back to him, just tried to hold onto him, maybe he would have tried to be with me. Jax’s eyes involuntarily drifted toward the spectator stands. But he never saw the familiar figure. He lowered his gaze, his hand instinctively going to his heart. It felt like a piece was missing, an empty void… The race officially began. At the referee’s signal, dozens of bikes took off, moving too fast to be anything but streaks of color. I twisted the throttle and rode with reckless abandon and sublime control, instantly breaking away from the pack. Jax tried to catch up, but through turn after turn, I pulled farther and farther away. My knee was grazing the tarmac on every corner. I could feel a single, anxious gaze fixed on me from the stands. I won first place with a time of 1 minute 25 seconds. Three minutes and three seconds faster than the second-place finisher, Jax Donovan. On the winners’ platform, I removed my helmet. A reporter gasped into his microphone. “It’s her! It really is her!” “The legend of Coastal Bay, the racer Sloan Caldwell, who disappeared for two years! She’s finally returned!!!”
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