Addiction to Temptation: His Mischievous Sweetheart Captivates Him-Chapter 273: The Truth of That Year

Zane Thorne has an apartment in Kensingport, with many flowers planted in the front yard.

When they arrived, Natalie Vaughn looked at those flowers she couldn’t name and asked a question.

"Why do you have flowers here too?"

"They were probably here to begin with."

Natalie nodded, and just before she entered the door, she suddenly asked.

"Can sunflowers grow in this weather?"

Zane was silent for a moment.

"Do you want to grow sunflowers?"

Natalie yawned.

"Don’t you like them?"

Natalie thought quite simply; if sunflowers could give Zane strength, then they should plant them. After all, the reason she came to Brythania this year was for him.

But Zane didn’t think that way. He still remembered when Natalie asked him why he planted sunflowers, he said it was for a little girl who was very important to him. Although Natalie didn’t say it out loud, he knew that she cared about that little girl in her heart.

Even though that little girl was herself.

Natalie didn’t know that he had already met her in her senior year of high school.

"Wouldn’t that make you unhappy?"

Feeling a bit tired, Natalie sat down on the sofa and slightly closed her eyes.

"Not at all, but just a little girl, do you like that little girl?"

"I do like her quite a bit."

Natalie:....

"Is it the kind of like a brother has for a sister? You can’t possibly be so perverted as to have a romantic interest, right?"

Zane’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. How was romantic interest perverted?

"Aren’t you curious who she is?"

Hearing this, Natalie opened her eyes, rested her chin on her hands placed on the back of the sofa.

"Curious, yes, but what’s the use? Would you tell me?"

Zane paused for a moment.

"I’ll tell you someday."

Since Natalie already knew about what happened five years ago, there was no longer any need to hide from her that he had seen her back then.

"Hmph."

Natalie simply lay down on the sofa.

Zane fetched a blanket to cover her while he went upstairs to tidy up his luggage.

When Natalie woke up, it was completely dark.

Vivian had called her, and she had missed the call, only to find messages from her on social media.

A party was being planned for her the following evening.

Natalie replied with a message.

Nights abroad felt different from those at home, and where they lived was far from the bustling areas, making the nights unusually quiet.

Natalie got up and started searching the house for Zane. He wasn’t downstairs, nor in any of the upstairs rooms, leaving only the study.

The door wasn’t fully closed, and light was leaking out.

Zane was on the phone.

"Even if I could still sign up now, what’s the point? Could I return to the tracks with just ten days of training?"

Natalie pulled back her hand, ready to knock.

Zane was on a call with Miles Rhodes.

"I’ve been retired for five years, there are so many talents, how can you believe that with training I could return to my former state?"

"As long as it’s you, I believe it."

Zane chuckled, not convinced by Miles’s attempts to persuade him, which made Miles angry enough to start cursing him out.

"You threw your career away because of a Gideon Sheffield, was it worth it? Do you know why I called you today? Things back then weren’t so simple!"

Miles was so angry his voice seemed to distort.

Upon hearing this, the smile on Zane’s lips faded.

"What do you mean?"

"You always paid extra attention to your diet before every game, didn’t you find it strange when you tested positive for doping back then? How could you make such a low-level mistake?"

Zane furrowed his brows.

"I was tested ten times, the results were the same each time."

"I’m not talking about the test results."

"Then what are you trying to say?"

Miles opened his mouth, seeming to hesitate.

Over these years, he had seen how Zane had been tormented by the issue with Gideon Sheffield.

Zane lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag.

"Just say it directly."

Compared to Gideon Sheffield, Miles had always appreciated Zane more.

"If the test showed a problem, it means you ingested something wrong. You never made mistakes before a game due to your caution. Is there a possibility..."

Miles paused for a moment, that what he heard might not be entirely accurate, but...

"Is there a possibility you ingested something given to you by someone you trusted unconditionally, making you drop your guard completely?"

After hearing this, Zane was silent for a long time.

Miles didn’t state it explicitly, but he wasn’t stupid; he could hear the implication. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The cigarette burned down to its end, scorching Zane’s fingertips, but he remained unmoved, as if he didn’t feel any pain.

He thought of that game back then; the retired Gideon Sheffield didn’t go back to marry Vera Underwood in their hometown but stayed with him for training.

During that competition, there was a strong competitor, one Zane couldn’t afford to be careless against. Having Gideon training alongside him significantly increased efficiency.

During that period, besides eating at the club, he also ate a lot of food with Gideon at the training base, all brought by Gideon.

Zane flicked the ash off his cigarette, tossing the butt into the bin.

"What do you want to say? What did you find out?"

Miles recounted what he experienced tonight to Zane.

Serving as the race chairman, he often dined with various investors and club owners. There happened to be the champion of that game at the dinner today, a competitor who had turned club owner himself, just like Zane.

During dinner, the topic of Zane came up. They recognized him as still the most talented and potential top-tier racer, despite his competitor’s drunken taunts.

"Just a fool who values feelings too much."

At that time, Miles didn’t ask much. Only when the group changed venues for entertainment did he hear more.

Back then, that player went to find Gideon Sheffield.

It was something like how Gideon shouldn’t have retired since he was supposedly greater and worthier than Zane of attention.

Afterwards, he didn’t hear any more.

But that was enough; he refused to believe Gideon was completely innocent back then.

How Zane tested positive for doping, why Gideon agreed to help in that race after his retirement...

"The past has happened, but I tell you this because I want you to know that what happened back then was entirely Gideon Sheffield’s doing. You have no reason to let someone like that hold you back and ruin your career, Zane, it’s not too late; you’re still young."

At thirty, he might not react faster than younger competitors, but he wasn’t just anyone.

Miles deeply regretted how Zane’s career was derailed by someone who he considered a brother, believing Zane was born to shine on the race tracks.

He was destined to be a legend on the circuits.

"If you don’t believe me, you can always ask Paul."

There was no need.

Zane abruptly ended the call.

His eyes were clouded with darkness; he didn’t want to believe what Miles had said, yet his mind was telling him it held the truth.

During that time, other than club meals, all he ate was brought by Gideon Sheffield.

Bam!

Zane smashed his phone to the ground, causing it to shatter into pieces, leaving a dent on the floor.

Listening from outside the door, Natalie’s heart pounded with fear as she caught only Zane’s words without knowing what really happened.

Entering the room, she was about to ask what was wrong but fell silent at the sight before her.