Her fingers tapped against the plush sides of the armchair. Pressing out a rapid rhythm of a song only she knew. Her leg shook bouncing up and down in a repetitive manner of which repeated up onto the chair of which she sat upon. Her eyes refused in that moment to make eye contact with anyone else in the room, choosing rather to stick upon the large blue logo of the company secured behind the CEO's chair. A warm, strong hand would come to place upon her own, lulling the tapping to a stop. It would draw her eyes over to the man sat beside her, the only true person to have fully backed her for all these years. And as he made eye contact with his deep emerald eyes, she knew that in that moment things would be okay, even if they did not feel like it. 

"Leo, it's going to be okay." The hushed words were spoken in French with the older man trying to bring her an easy smile, one which in many scenarios beforehand had been more than enough to quell her rising anxiety but today it seemed anything but. She nodded her head in response, not trusting her voice in that moment to be strong enough. 

"Leonie, I'm afraid as you have suspected this meeting is not on the most pleasant of terms." The voice of Laurent Rossi was the one to bring her attention back to the reason she had been gathered in the room. And as the young woman faced her company's CEO she knew that this was indeed true. 

The rumours had been circulating for a little while now, Leonie would have been rather silly to have known about them. For they had not originally started in the media this time around, the hushed whispers from staff had been passed for weeks now. To the point where they were no longer exactly hushed at all. The team had been talking about potentially replacing her for a couple of months, noting that they had a rather skilled junior talent pool that they were not taking advantage of. 

"I understand Mr Rossi." Her words held less emotion than she thought they would, they came off stronger than she believed she was in that moment. 

"I am sorry to inform you that we no longer intend to have you racing for Alpine for the 2023 season. We hope you understand that we have enjoyed our time with you as one of our pilots these last two years but this decision is made in the best interest in the team." Mr Rossi's words political in nature, spoken in such a way that they were not intended to cause a massive outrage. And Leonie like to think she brushed most things so under the rug, was a level headed person but those words did hit. The decision might be in the best interest of the team but it was not in her best interest. 

"I understand Sir." It was like the English words had escaped her brain, or well at least any useful ones as all she could think about was how much she wanted to say anything else. And now she hated being sat in this office. The office which had brought her so much joy, had made her incredibly happy now would be associated to her seeing flashes. Flashes of a future unknown, of a world outside of racing where she had no achievements and nothing to show. 

"We would like to extend an offer to help you find another seat for the next season." Laurent Rossi she supposed was trying to be nice, knowing that this news was never something someone wanted to hear. 

"Thank you." And with those words they jumped into the technicalities of bringing her two year contract to a close early. Words of which bounced off Leonie, as she could not bring herself to listen closely to them. She knew the man sat beside her, her manager, her father in all things but blood, would take on enough for her to not have to worry. 

She brought her pen to the paper to state that she understood the end of the contract, she could not with her heart say that she would sign to say she agreed with the ending. It was anything but, but all she wanted to do in that moment was have a good old cry and a little bit of a breakdown. Now that was something she would be able to do with flying colours, in comparison to her racing career. But there was a burning question she was now no longer able to hold, and before she went to leave the office she would have to ask. 

"My replacement, can I ask who it is?"

"We would rather not share that information at the current moment in time." Which were the political words to say they had found her replacement, had probably signed the contract but she like the rest of the world would only know when they announced it. 

She allowed herself to be dragged from the office, dragged from the building and to the car the pair had shared on the drive over. A car she would have to use to drive them back to the house she had been renting through the company. Another thing she would lose because of the contract. Another thing which would go up into the air, as an unknown. 

Leonie moved to unlock the car and get into the drivers seat, wanting anything but to be outside the company building in that moment in time. Yet before she could, she was brought into a strong pair of arms and felt the emotions truly rush over her. And as the tears fell she knew words were being whispered to her, but she wasn't ready to hear them. 

"Louis, what do I do? I am nothing if I am not racing." Her words were strained, higher in pitch than normal.

"Leonie you are so much more than just a racer. But this isn't the end of the journey. It's just the closing of this chapter."

"I really liked this chapter though."

"They were only the first team to give you a chance. You have brought them a win as a Rookie driver, you currently have more points than your teammate. Another team will want you I'm sure of it." Louis tried to cheer her up, point out the positive sides but Leonie didn't really want to hear them at this moment in time. 

"I suppose, you'll tell my dad right?" Leonie asked the older man, the one who had started off as her father's loyal man servant, whatever that role actually was, before taking over as her person when Leonie was 5. 

"Of course I will, leave that with me." Louis agreed. Leonie went to reply to the man but her phone began to start chiming rather rapidly. It was not a phone call but a mass number of messages, and considering this was rather unusual. Leonie chose to check her phone to see what was going on. 

BREAKING NEWS: Leonie Kallathil to not race for Alpine in 2023. See for Alpine's full announcement.

Leonie turned to Louis, her look of shock barely hidden if at all. For they had not even allowed her to register the decision before letting the whole world know. It was as if they had the article and announcement ready for the moment she walked out of the office. It was published before her meeting was even over if the time stamp was anything to go by. 

"What did I do wrong?" Leonie questioned and Louis only shook his head in response unsure of how to respond to those words. Only taking the car keys from her hands with the plan to get her away from it all for a little while. Get his little girl back in order before he had to share more information that would break her heart. His news could wait until this had all brushed over.