A Smug Champion Mocked an Elderly Woman—Then Her Real Name Changed Everything — Part 2

Previously: When 24-year-old Lincoln mocked 68-year-old Mabel at the local shooting range, he thought she was just a frail retiree. But one look at her registration form left the officials in absolute shock.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Allan’s hands trembled as he held the registration sheet, his eyes darting between the signature and the silver-haired woman standing before him. Lincoln, his face flushed with embarrassment, marched over to the official's desk, desperate to salvage his bruised ego.

A Ghost from the Past

"This is a joke, right?" Lincoln demanded, his voice cracking. "She’s a senior citizen! She probably got lucky with a modified hair-trigger. Allan, disqualify her! She doesn't belong in a professional tournament."

A Smug Champion Mocked an Elderly Woman—Then Her Real Name Changed Everything

Allan slowly took off his glasses, his expression a mix of awe and deep-seated respect. He looked at the young, arrogant champion and shook his head. "Lincoln, you don't have a single clue who you are talking to. This woman is Mabel Vance."

The name seemed to echo off the concrete walls of the range. To the younger generation, it meant nothing, but to the older marksmen in the room, it was legendary. Thirty-five years ago, Mabel Vance was the finest shot the country had ever seen. She was an Olympic gold medalist, a pioneer who had shattered every glass ceiling in the sport. But at the height of her career, after a devastating car accident took the life of her husband and shooting partner, Arthur, she vanished from the public eye completely.

"She didn't just compete, Lincoln," Allan said, his voice thick with emotion. "She and Arthur built this very range. And she holds the undefeated record that you have been trying to break for three years."

Lincoln’s face paled. He looked at Mabel, who stood perfectly still, her eyes locked onto the target. The stakes were suddenly higher than anyone realized. Lincoln's father, a wealthy real estate developer, was currently attempting a hostile takeover of the debt-ridden range to demolish it for luxury apartments. The only way to stop the foreclosure was to win the Founders Cup—and the cash prize that came with it. Lincoln had been assured an easy victory, but now, the true owner and the ultimate master of the range had returned to defend her legacy.