Adira bounced the bright yellow tennis ball as she focused on the opposing side of the court. With a fluid, powerful extension of her statuesque body, she tossed the ball high into the morning air and brought her racket down like it was thunder.

It became a blistering power serve that rocketed straight toward Bella.

Bella tensed, shifting her feet to receive the heavy shot but before she could even plant her racket, James abruptly cut across the court and stole the shot with an aggressive swing of his racket.

BAM!

The ball exploded off James’s strings as it turned into a lethal projectile that dived sharply over the net. It was moving with terrifying speed. Scott’s reflexes flared; he lunged, barely getting the tip of his racket under the ball to send it looping back over.

Scott exhaled heavily.

"Phew... that was a close one, that—"

PAH!

The word had barely left his lips. The ball Scott had just scraped over the net was returned with such ungodly velocity that neither he nor Adira even saw it flash past them. It slammed into the back corner of their court before they could even twitch.

The head referee blinked in disbelief before quickly clearing his throat into his microphone.

[Game, Roosevelt and Trevors! They lead!]

The crowd in the stands absolutely went wild.

"Good heavens! Did you see that return? I’ve watched professional Grand Slam matches, and I’ve never seen two people play with this level of raw skill!"

"James is naturally on another level. He’s a prodigy, born for the top!"

"Don’t discount the other side just yet! Did you see Adira’s serve? Mwah. And Scott’s reflexes are perfect. They’re holding their own!"

Down on the court.

James casually spun his racket around his fingers as he smiled mockingly at Scott.

"Hopefully, that’s not all you have to offer, hm?"

Adira stepped up to the baseline to serve for the second game. Sensing James’s aggressive positioning, she opted for a tactical choice this time, executing a much lighter, spinning service to throw off his timing.

But James didn’t care about timing.

He lunged forward and smashed the ball right back at her.

Using her incredible strength, Adira dug deep and returned it with a fierce cross-court strike. James anticipated it, firing a deadly line-drive down the opposite side, but Scott sprinted across the grass and his racket moved in a flash as he miraculously returned the shot.

The ball flew back and forth in a high-speed face-off that kept the audience holding their breath. Finally, James saw his opening and drilled a vicious, heavy shot right down the center of Scott and Adira’s court.

This made the two lunge for the same ball.

CLANG!

Their rackets collided forcefully and threw off their swings as the ball bounced away untouched.

[Game, Roosevelt and Trevors! They lead 2-0!]

James smiled softly and returned to his baseline.

He glanced back over his shoulder at Scott.

"With how much you were bragging a few minutes ago, I actually thought you were gonna do something. What a shame..."

Scott snatched the tennis ball from the grass and walked past his partner.

"I’m serving the next one."

Adira nodded as she rolled her shoulders.

"Sure. Honestly, my arm is killing me from playing against this bastard anyway."

Scott stepped up to the line. He didn’t look at the crowd nor did he look at James’s smug face. He simply tossed the ball high into the sunlight, arched his back, and sent a boiling power serve straight at James’s chest.

James managed to brace his body and fire it back across the net. Scott anticipated the return perfectly; he tracked the ball’s trajectory, planning to smash an unstoppable diagonal winner into the open court.

But right as he swung, his eyes caught a glimpse of the receiving side. Bella was standing right in the path of that diagonal trajectory.

Scott’s heart dropped.

At the absolute last millisecond, he tried to forcibly alter his swing and slice his racket to put a heavy spin on the ball instead of a full-force smash. But the sudden change completely ruined his form. The ball clipped the frame of his racket and flew wildly out of bounds.

"Game, Roosevelt and Trevors! They lead 3-0!"

Adira marched straight over to him as her breasts flew up and down her gorgeous body.

"What on earth was that?! You had the perfect fucking chance to humble that proud bastard! Why’d you have to flunk it, you tea towel?!"

She was so annoyed that her refined British accent came flying out completely unchecked.

Scott ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Sorry... my bad."

His genuine frustration softened Adira.

She smiled sweetly and pat his shoulder.

"Fine, fine. Let’s just get it back."

Unfortunately, James and Bella dominated the remainder of the game.

[Game and First Set, Roosevelt and Trevors! 6-0! They lead 1-0 in sets!]

The spectators were thoroughly entertained.

"Unbelievable. To think that handsome middle-class boy talked so much grand utility only to get completely shut out in the first set!"

"Exactly! What an arrogant nobody. James is teaching him a lesson in humility."

Up on the VIP deck, Chairman Bernard Trevors felt a cold knot in his stomach. The profound faith he’d felt in Scott during their early morning jog was starting to feel like a mistake. He stared down at his hands.

『What on earth made me think this boy had any chance at matching a prodigy like James? I must have been utterly desperate this morning...』

He covered his face in shame.

Sitting right beside him, Thomas laughed wickedly.

"Don’t be a wuss, fucking Bernard! Raise your head and watch my son completely destroy the man you drunkenly put your faith in!"

Back on the court.

It was James and Bella’s turn to serve for the start of the second set.

He didn’t hold back.

His first two serves were blindingly hot as they cut through the air like bullets. Neither Scott nor Adira could even get their rackets to touch them.

But by the third serve, Adira had completely adjusted to the timing. As the ball screamed toward her, she sensed the bounce, stepped into the shot, and smashed it back with a heavy forehand that caught James off guard, winning them a crucial point.

It was an impressive skill, but the billionaires and cameras were more concerned with the way her enormous breasts bounced in her tennis top. She’s clearly wearing a bra but perhaps they were too big to be contained easily.

"Oooou shi, she looks so good!"

"I agree, how is she seven foot!"

"My god, she’s hot..."

Adira confidently spun her racket.

"Listen here, little boy. I’ve been playing tennis since before you were even wearing diapers, so don’t get too confident just because you won a few easy points. I’ve fully studied your game style now, and I can promise you... you’re not going to get another single point from your serve."

She narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"If you do, then my name isn’t Crowe."

James smiled at the challenge.

"Is that so?"

He threw the ball up and unleashed another terrifying power serve, but just as promised, Adira read it perfectly and returned it deep into the baseline. James scrambled backward, firing the ball back over, but Scott suddenly charged the net like a flash of lightning. With a downward snap of his wrist, he smashed the ball into the grass and buried it for an un-returnable winner.

The strategy worked flawlessly.

Adira neutralized the serves, and Scott capitalized on the returns.

Within minutes, the tide completely turned.

[Game, McQueen and Crowe! They win 40-30!]

Scott and Adira high-five each other with smiles.

[We are down to the final set of the match! The winner of this set will claim the Trevors Cup!]

The club members were drowning in excitement as they threw bets around.

The same couldn’t be said for Thomas.

This was a matter of family legacy!

"James! Stop playing around for goodness sake and take things seriously already! Crush them!"

Chairman Trevors looked over at Thomas in shock.

『What does that mean? What the hell has James been doing this entire time if he hasn’t been serious?!』

The chairman wiped his sweaty palms.

Standing near the net, Bella looked back at her fiancée timidly.

"James... could I take the next serve? I haven’t really done much in the game yet..."

James slowly turned his head with a frown.

"You’re not nearly good enough to deliver a satisfying serve. So shut your mouth, stay out of my way, and let me win this. My father just told me to get serious... do you honestly think I’d do that by entrusting a crucial serve to you? Ha! Please."

The harsh, public rejection made Bella’s beautiful face burn with humiliation.

She glared right back at him.

"I said... I want to take the next serve."

James’s eyes darkened.

"If you act out like that, I will discipline you, Bella."

"Give me the ball."

Bella made it sound more like an order.

James stared at her for a long second before shrugging carelessly and tossing the ball toward her.

"Fine. Have it your way."

Bella catches the ball.

Stepping up to the baseline, she channeled all of her pent-up rage into her swing, tossing the ball and striking it beautifully. It was a surprisingly excellent serve that painted the line.

But Scott was already moving.

He smashed the ball straight back at James.

James grinned like a devil.

He didn’t aim for the open court. Instead, he swung his racket with a violent, unnatural angle that put a vicious slice on the ball.

The tennis ball shot forward, violently ricocheted off the sturdy steel net pole, and completely altered its trajectory. It flew like a bullet, striking Bella squarely and brutally right in the side of her face.

CRACK!

The impact knocked Bella out cold.

The stadium was so silent you’d hear a leaf drop.

"Bella!!"

Chairman Trevors screamed from the VIP deck.

Scott didn’t hesitate for a single second. He tossed his racket aside into the grass and sprinted across the net until he was right next to Bella’s unmoving body.

"Bella! Bella, can you hear me?!"

He gently checked her vitals. There was a nasty bruise on her cheek and a thin trickle of blood escaping her nose, but her chest was rising and falling. She was still breathing. When he gently lifted her head, she could only let out a series of soft groans.

She was still unresponsive.

James calmly walked over to see his unconscious fiancée then chuckled after.

"Well, at least that should keep her quiet for the rest of the game. To be completely honest, she was just a minus-one in this whole thing anyway. My chances of winning are much higher now. When a man speaks, a woman really should listen."

Scott slowly stood up with tight fists.

He glared at the blonde heir with eyes that could kill.

"You did that on purpose."

James laughed and waved his hand dismissively.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about."

But the arrogant tone of his laugh spoke volumes. He didn’t care whether people knew it was on purpose or not. To James, this was simply him disciplining a disobedient lady who dared to disrespect him.

James waved over to the sidelines.

"Hey, medics! Come get her so we can continue the game. I don’t need a new partner anyway, I’m much better off alone."

Up in the stands.

The club members stayed praising.

"Look at that confidence... to want to play a doubles match entirely alone!"

"He’s so incredibly brave and talented."

"Mhm. Quite the alpha I’d say."

"Honestly, Reginald. No one says ’alpha’ anymore."

Hearing them, Chairman Trevors felt his blood boil at the monster his daughter was betrothed to.

As the medical team carefully lifted Bella onto a stretcher and began carrying her off the court, James calmly walked back to his baseline, preparing to take his serve.

Scott stared at him from across the net.

"How can you comfortably harm a woman you’re engaged to like that? Are you really that much of a sadist?"

His voice was cold and disgusted.

James paused his serving motion and stood upright.

He looked at Scott with a calm, blank face.

"I didn’t hurt her. I simply corrected her. Of course, a peasant like you can’t see the difference, since you’ve never been in a position of power before. In this world, powerful people are supposed to be a symbol of correction."

He adjusted his grip on his racket.

"Doing ’good’ will never be the ultimate answer to ’bad’. That’s precisely why heroes are entirely pointless in this climate. If a city was engaged in a war, I wouldn’t waste time sending a hero to save them. I would nuke the entire place and ensure every other city learns from that mistake. That is the right way to handle anything."

James glared calmly at Scott.

"Are you satisfied with that answer?"

Scott let out a cold breath.

His eyes were still sharp and threatening.

"No, I’m not. You don’t understand even half of what it truly means to have power. I’m certain of that, because I actually know a lot of people who possess real power. You’re just a pathetic coward who uses your status to oppress and control the weak. That isn’t power... that’s just playing to your advantages."

Scott slowly lowered himself into a receiving stance and he’s still glaring at the blonde man.

"Real power is the kind that inspires hope. That is what an actual symbol of correction should be... one that can change things for the benefit of everyone, not just acting as they please!"

James let out a long yawn.

"Are we done here?"

"Serve."

Watching James get into position, Adira tightened her grip on her racket and her eyes narrowed as she prepared for another heavy shot.

But then, James did something to shock everyone.

He tossed his tennis racket into his left hand.

Up on the VIP deck, Thomas grinned confidently as he applauded the son he was so proud of.

Chairman Trevors blinked, utterly bewildered.

"What’s that...?"

"Heh. James is left-handed. He’s been playing with his weak hand this entire time just to amuse himself."

Hearing those words, the chairman’s entire body suddenly felt cold.

Down on the court, James bounced the ball twice with his right hand as he glared at Adira.

"Crowe... best change your name after this."

Adira’s brow furrowed. "Wha—?"

BOOM!!

Before she could even finish her sentence, James brought his racket down. The ball exploded off the strings with a sound like a literal cannon shot. It flew across the net so fast and with such violent RPMs that the ball visually morphed into a distorted, oval shape in mid-air.

It was heading straight for Adira’s side.

She instinctively moved to block the serve, raising her racket to catch the ball.

Scott’s eyes widened.

With that level of kinetic force behind the spin.

"NOOO! ADIRA, DON’T TOUCH IT!!"

But it was too late.

The instant the ball slammed into the center of Adira’s racket and the crushing force of the left-handed serve didn’t just push her back... the violent torque instantly snapped her delicate wrist sideways.

SNAP!

"GYAAAHH!!"

Adira let out a nightmarish scream of agony.

The racket flew out of her hand as she collapsed heavily onto her knees. She grabbed her fractured, swelling wrist as tears of pain pricked her eyes.

"Adira!"

Scott ran over to her side and dropped to his knees as he gently looked at her injury.

"Are you okay?!"

Adira panted heavily as she nodded slowly.

"Of course... it’s not that bad. I can... I can still play."

"No, you can’t. You need to rest, right now."

"But we have the advantage of numbers!"

Adira argued back.

"We can still win this if I stay on the court!"

Scott looked down at her with a stern face.

"But what kind of a victory would that be?"

"Calm down, you idiot!"

Adira got so mad her British accent flared up again.

"You’re being incredibly stupid right now! Even if we win in a dirty way, it doesn’t matter! As long as we aren’t completely embarrassed by that blonde bastard!"

Scott slowly stood up.

He gripped the handle of his tennis racket so hard handle cracked piece by piece.

"I’m really pissed off right now. So I’m not gonna settle for some cheap win."

He looked back at James with hellish eyes.

"I wanna completely crush this guy."

Scott raised his hand and signaled the sidelines. The medical team immediately hurried onto the court with a second stretcher, carefully lifting the tall woman up.

As they began to carry her away, Adira looked back at Scott’s broad back.

She suddenly felt her cheek and body go warm.

It’s been ages since an old woman like her felt this.

It made her feel like a young girl in love again.

This villainous, old CEO has always been a sucker for men in capes who wanted to save people.

『This boy... he really is something else...』

Both Bella and Adira were evacuated.

It was now a direct, brutal 1v1 showdown under the blazing morning sun.

—-

Note: I didn’t update yesterday because I was finishing preparations for my new works. And also I don’t know that much about tennis :)