The atmosphere inside Harborview Arena shifted dramatically as the ring announcer's voice boomed through the speakers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this next contest is for the IRW Women's Championship!"
The crowd erupted with excitement.
Tracey Prince's entrance music blared first, and the arena exploded with cheers. The champion made her way onto the stage, moving with a mix of caution and determination, her ribs still tightly bandaged from the brutal attack by Maya Hart two weeks ago. She held her title close to her heart before raising it high, basking in the adoration of thirty thousand fans who welcomed her like a hero.
Noah, sitting at the commentary desk, leaned into his microphone. "Just listen to that crowd! They absolutely adore Tracey Prince. They admire her resilience, her heart, and they're eager to see her rise above the challenges tonight."
Irvin chimed in, "But she's going up against Maya Hart—the most despised woman in IRW at the moment. Sure, Tracey has the crowd's support, but Maya has that killer instinct."
Noah, "I don't know what instinct Maya will have when she sees all the 'Why Maya Why' shirts in the crowd."
As the music faded, a darker, more ominous theme took over. The cheers quickly turned into a chorus of boos as Maya Hart made her entrance, a smirk plastered on her face despite the hostility. She walked toward the ring with her head held high, relishing the negative attention, and occasionally taunting fans in the front row.
In the front row, Luke Hart, sitting next to Tony, slumped in his seat with his arms crossed tightly. Tony noticed right away.
"You okay?" he asked.
Luke shook his head. "That's my sister out there, Tony. I know her, she isn't like this. She had an incident where a few people recognised her in supermarket and even threatened her. She was shaken up badly after that incident. "
Tony shrugged. "She made her choices. Tonight? I hope she loses."
The bell rang.
Maya didn't waste a second. She charged right at Tracey's bandaged ribs, unleashing a flurry of stiff kicks and punches that had the champion doubled over. The crowd erupted in boos, but Maya just grinned, soaking in their disdain. She yanked Tracey down by her hair, driving a knee into her ribs before going for the first pin.
One!
Two!
Tracey kicked out.
The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting, "TRACEY! TRACEY!"
Noah shouted, "She's still in it! Even hurt, Tracey Prince refuses to stay down!"
Maya yanked her up again, locking her in a headlock, but Tracey fought back with wild punches. For a moment, it seemed like she might break free—until Maya's knee slammed into her ribs again, dropping her like a stone.
Irvin groaned. "That's the brilliance of Maya Hart. She's found the weakness and is exploiting it without a second thought."
Noah deadpanned, "She was the one who injured Tracey in the first place."
Irvin chuckled, "That's called creating your own advantage."
Luke clenched his fists at ringside, his face a mix of frustration and concern. Tony leaned in closer. "She's going too far, man. Just look at her."
Inside the ring, Maya taunted the crowd before going for another pin after a backbreaker.
One!
Two!
Tracey kicked out again.
The fans roared even louder, clapping in rhythm to rally her. Tracey, gasping in pain, crawled to the ropes, pulling herself up with sheer determination. The chants grew deafening.
Tracey swung back, landing punches on Maya's jaw that made her opponent stagger. She tried to keep the momentum alive, but Maya quickly struck back with a brutal kick to the ribs, halting Tracey's comeback. Tracey fell to one knee, clutching her stomach in pain.
Noah's voice rang out, filled with urgency. "Every time Tracey shows some fight, Maya finds a way to shut her down!"
Maya smirked as she pulled Tracey into position for her finishing move. She lifted her up—but Tracey managed to twist free, spinning around and delivering a sudden kick right to Maya's face. The challenger hit the mat, and the crowd erupted in cheers.
With sheer determination, Tracey pushed herself to her feet, moving slowly and painfully. She wiped the sweat from her brow as thirty thousand fans clapped and stomped, cheering her on. Maya charged at her, but Tracey dodged and executed a flying clothesline that sent Maya crashing down.
The arena shook with the sound of cheers. Luke buried his face in his hands.
"Come on, Maya," he muttered under his breath.
Tracey raised her arms, signaling for her finisher. The crowd roared in anticipation as she hooked Maya up—but in a quick move, Maya jabbed a thumb right into Tracey's eye. Staggering back toward the corner, Tracey was left blinded.
The referee rushed in to check on Tracey's eye, his back turned to the action.
Maya, with a smirk on her face, prepared to pounce—
And then the crowd erupted in a frenzy.
A masked figure leaped over the barricade near ringside, sprinting toward the apron. Maya, distracted, leaned over the ropes to see what was happening—
The figure sprang into action, grabbing Maya by the head and yanking her down hard, sending her reeling backward, hands clutching her nose. The arena erupted in a mix of shock and cheers.
Noah was shouting, "Who the hell is that?! Who just jumped the barricade?!"
Dazed, Maya spun right into Tracey's arms. With the crowd on their feet, Tracey hooked her and executed her finisher, slamming Maya down in the center of the ring.
Just in time, the referee turned back and dropped to the mat.
One!
Two!
Three!
The bell rang.
The arena went wild. Thirty thousand fans roared as Tracey rolled onto her knees, cradling her ribs but proudly holding her title high. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she soaked in the cheers.
Noah's voice cracked with excitement. "She's done it! Tracey Prince has beaten the odds, and she's still your Women's Champion!"
Irvin shouted, "But who was that masked figure? Whoever it was just cost Maya Hart the championship!"
In the ring, Tracey wobbled to her feet, title held high. The masked figure stood outside, pulling off her hood—
It was Evelyn Sharma.
The crowd gasped, then erupted again as Evelyn beamed up at Tracey.
Noah exclaimed, "It's Evelyn! Evelyn's back! She vanished after Maya attacked her weeks ago, but now she's returned—and she's just cost Maya Hart the biggest match of her career!"
Evelyn backed away slowly into the crowd, fans patting her on the back as she moved. Tracey looked down at her, the two locking eyes, a silent understanding forming between them. Tracey raised her belt again, triumphant, as the cheers thundered.
At ringside, Tony clapped hard, grinning. "Tracey did it! She's still the champ!"
Luke, though, sat stone-faced, staring into the ring. His sister lay sprawled on the mat, clutching her face, while the crowd booed her mercilessly. He shook his head, conflicted and pained. "She didn't deserve that," he muttered.