Apex | Charles Leclerc

Chapter 3

The door to his room was closed so when we opened it, I felt Charles' eyes immediately fall on me. I didn't look back and instead moved to stand beside Arthur as Max and Mick followed behind me. I saw recognition flash through Charles' face and I bit my lip to hide the sigh I was so tempted to let out. Where's my look of recognition?

"So, I'm driving for Mercedes now?" He asked and Lorenzo nodded his head. "Why did I leave Ferrari?"

"No one really knows..." Max drifted off as his eyes moved to me. Except us.

Leaving Ferrari was one of the biggest decisions Charles has had to make. It was difficult to leave the team that he's been dreaming to be a part of ever since he was a kid. Ferrari was the family that took up a majority of his life in Formula One and for it to end because of a problem with management was not easy to let go of. He could've chosen to fight but doing so was a losing chance on his part.

I kept my mouth shut as Charles followed Max's gaze and the confusion on his face deepened. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

I'm your wife and the person you've been living with for almost two years. I'm the woman who taught you how to play the guitar and would sometimes play the piano with you. I'm the woman who knows all of your secrets the same way you know mine. I'm the woman you left your dream team for which proved to me how great a person you are. I'm the woman who has seen and heard of every inch of happiness, pain, and anxiousness you've gone through. I'm the woman who made you see that love wasn't something to avoid.

All of those thoughts swirled around my head but the only words to come out of my mouth were, "I'm Nadia Kaplan."

All eyes moved from me to Charles, going back and forth as we both got stuck in a staring contest. It felt like I was trying to push every memory I had of us into his mind and he was trying to absorb what he can. I hoped that something would ignite in his mind but as he cocked his head to the side and blinked twice at me, I knew nothing changed.

"Let's give them the room, shall we?" Pascale asked but everyone knew she was not requesting but merely stating. As she passed me, she squeezed my arm and I showed my mother in law a shaky smile. "We'll be outside if you need us."

I didn't leave my position as the door shut after Mick flashed me a thumbs up in encouragement. As soon as the door closed, the air around the room changed and I'm left with that cold feeling once again.

"So Ms. Kaplan—"

"It's Mrs." I said, interrupting him and Charles raised an eyebrow before clearing his throat.

"Mrs. Kaplan—"

"Not Kaplan."

"Are you going to keep interrupting me?" I pursed my lips at how familiar this felt, bringing me back to the first few weeks we knew one another. We argued back and forth, barely having a conversation that wasn't laced with irritation.

"I tend to do so whenever I hear something that's not right. It's part of being a lawyer." I explained. I can't even count the amount of times I've said the word objection in court and it's become a part of my life sometimes.

"Why would I need a lawyer?" He asked and I moved my feet so that I could sit on the chair next to his bed but I moved it a few feet since it was obvious that he wasn't that comfortable with me to sit so near.

"I'm not here as a lawyer."

"Are you my assistant?" My face soured as I glared at him, tempted to press on the needled attached to his hand from the IV.

"Fuck no." I quickly replied and a small smirk formed on his lips, eyes widening a fraction at my foul language. "Are you sure you want to know who I am right now? I'm afraid that if I tell you, you're going to go into shock and lose consciousness again."

"Stop being so dramatic and just tell me." He said and I gave him another look, debating whether I should follow his order. I rarely do but this one might be an exception. "Mrs.— whatever your last name is— just rip off the band aid and spit it out."

"You asked for it." I mumbled under my breath, standing up and placing the chair away. I moved to the small bedside table beside him and pulled out the small object before holding it in front of his face. I raised my left hand and I watched as Charles' eyes moved from one gold band to the other, eyes widening the more he glanced at it. "My name is Nadia Kaplan, a thirty-four year old Turkish lawyer who works with the United Nations who is also your wife of almost two years. It's Mrs. Leclerc, by the way."

*****

What do you guys think of Nadia so far?

✧Reese✧