Max was busy cutting Harper's pizza when he turned to Celia and said, "We only have three more days permitted to work by the FIA, so Christian wants us to put in extra time with the team. That means more time at HQ, more training, and long days."

Celia nodded, understanding the situation. "Yeah, I know. Vic's good to babysit, right?"

Max reassured her, "Yup, she said she'll pick up Harp in the morning."

Before they could continue, Harper banged her fork on the table, making both parents turn toward her. "No more work talk, Mama, Dada!" Harper pouted, her little face scrunched up in frustration, which only made her parents laugh at how adorable she looked.

Max, smiling, quickly apologized, "Sorry, sweetheart." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Tell us about your day?"

Harper's face brightened as she finally had their attention. "I played a lot with Luka and Lio," she began, her excitement clear. "Then we went to the park. And then, we watched two Barbie movies. Luka and Lio didn't want to, but Tante Vicky made them because I was their guest. I like being a big sister," she added with a big grin.

The conversation continued as they sat together at the dinner table, sharing stories, laughing, and enjoying each other's company—just a happy family spending time together.

˖⁺‧₊˚ ˚₊‧⁺˖✮------------✮˖⁺‧₊˚ ˚₊‧⁺˖

Max quietly stepped out of Harper's room after putting her to bed. As he walked back into the living room of the suite, he noticed a faint light still on. Moving closer to the couch, he found Celia fast asleep, with one of the many files from the day's meeting resting on her lap. Smiling at the sight, he quietly went to his room and grabbed a blanket.

Carefully, he took the file off her lap and placed it on the table, then gently covered her with the blanket to make sure she stayed warm.

As he tucked her in, he brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face, his hand lingering as he watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful, finally getting some rest after the long, exhausting days she put in. Celia had always been a hard worker, but ever since their breakup, she buried herself even more in her work. If she wasn't nursing Harper, she was working, rarely allowing herself a break.

Max knew she was using work as a distraction, and he couldn't help but blame himself for that. He knew others blamed him too, but Celia never showed any resentment. She made sure everyone stayed on good terms with him, even after everything that happened.

If she had wanted, their friends—especially Charles—would have turned their backs on him without hesitation. But she made sure they all stayed civil with Max, and he was grateful for that. He didn't feel like he deserved it, but he admired Celia for her kindness and how big her heart was.

"M-Max?" Celia's soft, confused voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He quickly stepped back and cleared his throat.

"Did I fall asleep here?" she asked, rubbing her eyes as she slowly sat up.

Max nodded, sitting down at the other end of the couch. "Yeah, Harper's asleep. It's late, you should get some rest too."

"I'm not finished reading up for tomorrow," she said, stifling a yawn, which made Max chuckle.

"Lia, you need sleep," he gently told her.

"No, what I need is coffee!" she announced, getting up and heading to the kitchen. Max followed close behind.

"Can I have a cup too?" he asked as Celia nodded, pulling out two cups. Max sat down on one of the barstools. "If you're staying up, I'll help you go through it quickly, summarize where I can."

"Oh, you don't have to," Celia replied. "You should get some sleep."

"I want to help, Lia," Max said softly, his voice full of sincerity. Celia turned to look at him as he continued, "I promised you I would. I promised Maximo I would. And I... I want to help you, always, in any way I can. You know that. Please let me?"

They fell into a quiet moment, their eyes locked as Celia saw the genuine care in Max's expression. Slowly, she nodded. The beep of the coffee machine broke the silence, and she poured their coffees, handing him a cup.

The two of them returned to the couch, Celia tucking her feet under the blanket as Max took the file and flipped through the pages, figuring out where they could begin.

All geared up with their coffees, they started to go through the file together. Max began pointing out key sections, while Celia sipped her coffee and tried to keep up.

"So, this part here," Max said, pointing to a chart, "shows the data on our tire performance. We need to adjust our strategy based on this."

Celia squinted at the page. "Wait, I'm a bit lost here. Can you explain again?"

Max leaned in, his eyes focused on the chart. "Sure. This graph indicates how tire wear affects lap times, you already know that. The steeper the line, the more quickly the tires lose grip. So, we need to manage tire usage carefully to maintain performance. The next page discusses what strategy we opt for, based on how well you manage to save your tires during the race, you know like-"

Celia nodded slowly, trying to absorb the information. "Ah, got it now. No need to Maxsplain it to me anymore," she joked, stifling a laugh.

Max laughed, giving her a playful nudge. "I was just trying to help you by making this fun and this is how you treat me?"

"I appreciate it," Celia replied with a grin. "But if you keep it up, I might start thinking you're auditioning for a teaching role."

Max chuckled. "Well, if it means helping you out, I might just consider it. Besides, I need you to perform well for the team."

"Yeah yeah, of course," Celia agreed, sipping her coffee. "It's nice to have a bit of fun while working."

This was just how things were for them. Celia would tease Max, and Max would play along as long as it made Celia smile. As they went through the file together, their usual banter continued.

They laughed and joked, making the long night more fun. Their easygoing friendship made the work feel lighter. Max's explanations turned into more of a shared moment between them rather than just racing strategies, and before they knew it, the time flew by. And for once, neither of them were overthinking it. It just felt like old times. And both of them silently decided to cherish it.