❝Falling for him wasn't falling at all. It was walking into a house and suddenly knowing you're home.❞
In which Hollywood actress Alexandra Heroux returns to the world of F1 after almost a decade, only to fall for Charles Leclerc.
With her turbule...
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The office of Dr. Railey in Monaco exuded an air of serenity, the pastel hues of the walls providing a comforting backdrop to the therapeutic sessions that took place within. Soft ambient light filtered through sheer curtains, casting a gentle glow upon the room. The therapist's desk, adorned with a scattering of calming crystals, held an air of quiet authority.
Seated in the midst of this calming ambiance were Charles and Alexandra, a month after Charles had secured the World Drivers' Championship. The tension between them was palpable, an unspoken barrier that mirrored the underlying struggles in their relationship. Dr. Railey, the quiet orchestrator of healing, observed them with a knowing gaze.
The atmosphere hung heavy with the unspoken words that lingered between Charles and Alexandra. The space, designed for reflection and catharsis, felt both comforting and charged with the anticipation of the conversation to come. The couple sat in parallel yet distant universes, their eyes occasionally flickering towards each other, only to retreat.
Over the past month, they'd tried desperately to forgive and forget the storm they'd faced over the past year, but it was proving to be more difficult than either had originally thought. Alexandra couldn't trust Charles anymore, as much as she tried - she just couldn't. Any words that came out of his mouth left her on edge. She never knew if he was waiting for a moment to explode with her, or if his kindness was a sign of the old Charles.
It reminded her of the arguments she used to watch her parents have.
Every day, she wondered which man she'd wake up next to. The man she loved, or the monster within. Of course, he'd never hurt her, not physically. But the anger that he'd let wash over her in recent months was enough to terrify her.
The trauma she thought she'd recovered from two years ago had quickly risen again, and all of her haunting nightmares seemed to find her once more - only this time, the nightmares were of Charles. She knew it was PTSD too, her past mingling and mixing with their current issues, but still, it was too much for her to bear. Which led them here.
Dr. Railey, a beacon of calm wisdom, allowed the silence to stretch, a technique honed over years of guiding fractured souls toward healing. After a careful pause, she addressed Charles, her voice a measured cadence that cut through the quiet.
"Charles, how have you been since the end of the season?" The question hung in the air, pregnant with the weight of unspoken struggles.
A muscle twitched in Charles's jaw as he responded, "I'm fine." The lie tasted bitter on his tongue, and his fists involuntarily clenched as if trying to hold back the truths he was unwilling to voice.
Alexandra, her eyes momentarily closing, exhaled slowly, attempting to anchor herself amidst the rising discomfort. She knew the script well – Charles, despite the setting, had yet to fully embrace vulnerability.
Dr. Railey, perceptive and patient, met Charles's deflection with a calm nod. "It's okay, Charles. You're in a safe space here. You don't have to be 'fine.'"
