Chapter 23: Field Track Test

I took the private elevator straight to the top floor, adjusting my suit jacket as the doors slid open into a sleek, floor-to-ceiling glass executive lobby.

The receptionist gave me a polite nod and asked me to take a seat. They kept me waiting for a solid twenty minutes—a classic corporate power move to see if I’d get restless. I just leaned back, crossed my legs, and checked my watch, quietly taking in the scale of the operation. It was pretty surreal realizing I was sitting in the global headquarters of a multi-billion-dollar brand, about to pitch a girl who was eating junk food in a rundown apartment just a few weeks ago.

Finally, the double doors opened, and an assistant walked me into a massive board room. Sitting at the end of a long mahogany table was the Director of Global Sponsorships, looking over my file alongside two senior brand managers.

He looked up, scanning my face, my fitted suit, and the $50k watch on my wrist before leaning back in his chair with a faint smirk.

"Well," he started, his tone a mix of surprise and mild amusement. "I’ll be honest—when my assistant told me an international private investor booked an emergency executive slot, I wasn’t expecting someone quite so young."

"Age is just a number when the money is real," I replied smoothly, taking a seat across from him without waiting for an invitation. "And I don’t waste time on small talk."

I slid a sleek tablet across the table, pulling up May’s recent track metrics, sprint splits, and live physical transformation data provided by Marcus.

"I’m here with a proposition," I said, looking him dead in the eye. "I have an athlete entering next month’s regional track competition. She’s an absolute powerhouse with a comeback story that’s going to blow up in the media. I want a full brand endorsement deal locked in before she steps onto that track."

The director glanced at the tablet, then looked back up at me with a skeptical eyebrow raised. "She has no official competition history on record. We don’t sign unproven talent, no matter how good their training numbers look on paper."

"Then let’s make it an offer you can’t lose," I said, leaning forward. "Sign the endorsement now. If she doesn’t place in the top three at the regional meet, I personally reimburse your brand double the contract value out of my own pocket. If she wins, you get the exclusive rights to the biggest rising star in the division before anyone else can touch her."

The room went quiet as the board members exchanged looks. The director tapped his pen against the table, visibly intrigued by the high-stakes offer.

The director looked down at the paper, gave it a quick glance, and casually pushed it right back across the slick mahogany table like it was a used napkin.

"Three hundred thousand?" He let out a dry, dismissive chuckle, shaking his head. "Son, $300k is pocket change for a global division like ours. We don’t sign local athletes just because an investor is willing to throw cash on the line."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together, looking at me like a seasoned executive teaching a rookie a lesson.

"Our brand doesn’t sell potential; we sell star power," he said, his tone dripping with corporate arrogance. "We look for celebrities. We look for household names with millions of followers and pre-built global brands. A girl with zero public record and a zero-follower count doesn’t move the needle for us, no matter how fast she runs or how impressive her comeback story looks on your little tablet. We’re not in the business of charity cases."

The two brand managers beside him smirked, clearly amused by the cold rejection.

They saw an unproven girl with no clout and a young investor playing with big numbers. They couldn’t see the raw 9.5 potential, the absolute grit May was putting into every single sprint, or the fact that they were staring at a future global phenomenon before the rest of the world caught on.

I pulled the paper back, slowly folding it into my pocket as I stood up. I didn’t get angry, and I didn’t argue. I just adjusted my cuffs and looked down at the director with a cold, relaxed smile.

"Short-sighted," I said softly, my voice dead calm. "You’re so busy chasing established stars that you’ve lost the instinct for recognizing real talent. Remember this conversation when she takes that podium next month—because when every major competitor in the world starts fighting for her signature, your brand won’t even be on the list."

Without waiting for his response, I turned on my heel and walked straight out of the boardroom, the quiet click of the glass doors shutting behind me.

I walked out of that building and made the decision right then and there. If these corporate suits wanted to be blind, fine. I’d become her agent myself, build her agency from the ground up, and control every single piece of her career.

She didn’t need their logo on her chest to dominate that track. In fact, running unbranded would send an even louder message.

I immediately got on the phone and contacted a high-end custom athletic apparel maker. I ordered a full set of elite, pro-grade competition kits built specifically for May’s new measurements—ultra-breathable, aerodynamic, and completely clean with zero logos or brand markings. Pure, stark, high-quality performance wear.

When she steps onto that track looking like a silent assassin in a clean, custom suit, she’s going to stand out instantly among a field of sponsored runners. And once she crosses that finish line first, those same corporate directors are going to realize they blew their chance to sign her cheap. Brands will be begging for a seat at our table, and when they do, the price tag is going to be ten times higher.

I hopped back into the rental, headed to the private hangar, and boarded the jet back home.

By the time I landed and walked back into the penthouse, May was in the living room doing post-workout recovery stretches, her new athletic frame looking sharp and ready.

She looked up at me, eager to hear the news. "How’d it go with the big brand HQ?"

I tossed my jacket over the sofa and gave her a calm, confident smirk.

"They were too blind to see what’s coming," I said. "So forget them. I’m handling your management myself. I got you custom, unbranded pro kits coming in. You’re going into this regional meet as an independent dark horse—and when you blow past everyone on that track, they’re going to come crawling to us."

May’s eyes flared with pure determination, a fierce smile spreading across her face. "I like that better anyway. Let’s make them regret it."

---

The sun beat down on the private track as May stepped up to the starting line, dressed in the sleek, unbranded custom gear I had ordered for her. The high-performance fabric wrapped around her frame perfectly, accentuating her powerful, sculpted shoulders and toned legs. After two months and some change of absolute discipline, zero junk, and relentless training, the transformation was undeniable. She didn’t just look in shape—she looked like a lethal, world-class sprinter ready to tear up the asphalt.

Chloe stood next to me near the finish line, holding her study tablet under her arm with her jaw slightly dropped. The nutritionist was right beside us, checking his stopwatch with a satisfied nod.

Down at the starting blocks, May dropped into her position. Her eyes locked onto the empty lane ahead, her expression cold and completely dialed in. Gone was the anxious girl hiding behind oversized hoodies in a messy apartment. Standing there was an elite athlete waiting for her moment.

Marcus stood a few yards away, holding his starter pistol in the air, his eyes scanning her form one last time.

"On your marks..." Marcus called out, his voice echoing across the empty facility.

May raised her hips, her breathing dead steady, every muscle in her legs coiled like a loaded spring.

Chloe leaned closer to me, whispering excitedly, "She looks insane..."

"She’s ready," I replied smoothly, crossing my arms as I focused on the track.

Marcus raised his hand higher, his finger tightening on the trigger. The whole track went dead silent as we all held our breath, waiting for the signal to drop.