Part 13 | Leclerc To The Rescue

After the race in Mexico, the drivers had a small break. Almost two weeks, most of us went back to Monaco, I visited Charles, Arthur and their family with Sofia.

We stayed at Pascale's house along with the three Leclerc brothers, Lorenzo were there as well, which was a nice sight.

The three brothers together, it was always entertaining. I planned to seek Charles for advice on the whole Lando thing, I had barely spoken to him since the whole date thing.

I finally got Charles alone in the garden and I sat down beside him. "Can I get your advice on something" I ask him and he nods and turns fully to me.

"The whole Lando thing, he asked me out on a date and I had to say no. I didn't feel good about it at all and I have barely talked to him since, I don't know what to do now. I don't want to lose him" Charles nods as I tell him.

"It's Zane, who ruined it for you, right?" Charles asks and I nod my head yes. "What exactly happened? I never found out and you never wanted to tell anyone" Charles says.

"It doesn't matter" I say and shrug. "It does, if you want me to understand your situation and how you feel, I need to know what happened back then. What could possibly have happened to fuck you up this bad?" Charles says and I shoot him a sharp look at the cheap jab he made at the end of his rant.

"Sorry" He said and rolled his eyes. I sigh and pull my phone out, I find the videos and pictures and saved articles that I couldn't bring myself to delete.

I shove my phone into his hands and he looks at me confused before reading everything, then he sees the videos and pictures.

Zane Thompson, was an upcoming actor when I was with him. Girls swooned all over him, I had to listen to it everyday, I had to read about it everyday.

It was harmless until Zane had to go more away for movies, pictures and videos started to surface on the internet.

In those videos it looked like Zane was cheating on me, but I had gotten fake stories and manipulated photos before from fans wanting to create issues that weren't there.

Finally I got enough and confronted Zane, who gaslighted me on repeat, but he did have a girl in almost every city. He lied, he cheated, he manipulated me and gaslighted me till I didn't know what was up and down.

The whole fanbase of his didn't make it easier, everyone began to hate on me more than they did before, it got ugly and I ended up leaving him, but somehow he turned that around to make him the victim.

I was the bad guy, all of a sudden. His career cost us our relationship and four years of my life. I promised myself when I recovered with the help of doctors and psychiatrists, that I would never allow myself to get into the same position again.

I knew Charles and Arthur back then, which is why I knew I had to make that promise, the two were rising in their careers and I knew they would bring many other people into their lives.

I had to make sure I wouldn't fall for it again. I get jealous, I get easily affected by fans and their hate, lies and manipulation.

I couldn't do it again. I got so sick when I had to force myself to leave him, I had lost so much weight, I was just bones and skin, I was depressed as hell.

Charles looked up when he was finished and he seemed to understand everything. He said nothing and put my phone down between us before pulling me into a long bone crushing hug.

"How did we never find out about this?" Charles asks me, his voice was muffled in my hair and neck and I felt tears escape my eyes. I promised I wouldn't cry about it ever again, but here I was.

"I somehow convinced Zane's assistant to wipe all evidence and stories of this, I convinced her that it would hurt his image, so she took care of it. This is all there's left and I have saved it for a reminder if I get too close" I explain, my voice breaks at the end and Charles curses in Italian under his breath.

"I understand, I get it now" Charles assured me. Tears poured out like a waterfall and Charles held me for twenty minutes before I was able to stop and pull away.

I wiped my face and cupped my face with my hands, I took a deep breath and looked up at Charles, ready for his advice and help.

"Honestly, I don't think it would ever happen with Lando, his last girlfriend—not Luisa—he was able to keep his relationship hidden for a year, then he wanted to do an appreciation post on their anniversary. That was the only time he posted her, it could work. It just takes some effort" Charles said and tilted his head to think.

"Besides Lando handles social media really well, he's not keen on sharing his private life on socials. But I understand where you come from, and trust is something that needs to be build up from scratch" Charles added and I nodded.

"But what do I do now? I don't want things to change. I miss him" I admit with desperation.

"Hang out with him, make it up to him and make sure he knows how much you care about him. That's all you can really do—if you really don't want to take a chance with him" Charles said, it was a question.

I thought for a while and sighed. "I can't do anything now, I just want to make up with him. I miss my best friend" I say and Charles nods.

"Call him" Charles urged and I nodded. "I should" I say and Charles nods in agreement. "You can always try, if he doesn't answer then give him some more time" Charles says.

"Right"

"Call him now, idiota" Charles retorted before pressing a kiss to the top of my head as he got up. I chuckled in response and opened my phone, my finger hovered over his number and name.

I sigh and decide to just do it. The phone rings for a good 40 seconds and there's no answer, I shake my head in disappointment before hanging up.

I try once more and it's the same. I hang up and get up in defeat, I'm about to walk back inside to drink my sorrows away with Arthur, Carla and Sofia, when my phone buzzes.

I look down and see 'Mr. Morris' flash across the screen, I immediately answer and put distance between the doors and me, I walk back out in the garden.

"Hi" I say softly, I didn't want him to hang up on me. "Hey, I was in the shower, that's why I didn't answer right away" Lando says with a small laugh.

"That's okay, I'm just happy that you called me back" I say and smile a little. My heart flutters as I hear him talk.