On Top of the World [Max Verstappen - Book 3]

8

By the time I get to Brackley, I'm a mess, just about holding it together long enough to get to Toto's office. The second the door closes, I crumple to the floor and Toto, Lewis and Lando who were waiting for me to arrive rush over thinking I'm seriously injured or ill, however by the time they make it I think they hear the light sobs as I wipe the tears away from my eyes, finally removing the unnecessary sunglasses and mask I've been wearing for the entire journey to reveal a very blotchy and puffy face to the men in the room.

Anyone else, any other team, and I would be embarrassed as all hell that they were seeing me like this, in this weak and pathetic state but I'm suddenly grateful that it's them as I pick myself back up from where I was crouched, waving them off apologetically. "I'm fine, sorry, that was dramatic," I sniffle as I look between them, the worry never dropping from any of their faces.

"I feel like I should ask what happened but I think I already know," Lando says sympathetically and I just nod, wiping my face a little more as I walk over to the conference table in the room and put my bag down on the sofa as I do so, shrugging off my jacket.

"Yep, we're over. It's done," I say, hiccuping slightly and cursing myself as all three of them were clearly not expecting that answer.

"Wait what? Done? Like, done?" Lewis asks, face furrowing into a frown as he looks at me worriedly and I nod as I sit down in a seat and turn to the three of them, using my shirt sleeve to try and remove some of the dampness I can still feel on my face as I nod. "No way, you two will figure it out. It's just different teams," Lewis says as they all take their seats and I shake my head.

"It's not...it's not just different teams. Our issues ran a lot deeper than anyone really knew and...well...let's just say it's over for sure. We're finally free from working together, it was forcing us to stay together, constantly keeping us in the presence of one another and now we're free. He's free." I tell them solemnly as I look around the room, taking a deep shaky breath as I look out the window on my left at the green trees and miserable cloudy weather, perfectly mimicking how I feel. "So, that's it. We can begin with the team." I tell them resolutely, turning to them with my full attention and Toto just stutters in surprise. They all seem shell-shocked and I think if I was being honest with myself then I was too.

"Elodie, we can do this another day, if you need some time to adjust or work things out, you can fly back. It doesn't have to be one or the other, you can have both." Toto tells me seriously and in frustration at his comments I slam my hand against the table, having been unable to let out any anger, making all three grown men in front of me jump.

"Sorry...no. No, there's no fixing this. We're done. I'm here to work, I need...I need to work." I tell him firmly and I see the three of them exchange looks before cautiously agreeing, Lewis begins the first to help me out by running through the plans for the next week and I keep my focus squarely on him. Ignoring Lando pulling out his phone and knowing exactly what messages are being sent out currently.

Five hours later and several back-to-back meetings later, I'm sat in the back seat of Lewis's car with Angela driving us back to London, chin resting comfortably on my hand as I look out the window and watch the English countryside rush by.

"D...D," Lewis tries to gently get my attention and I flick my eyes towards him before back out the window to let him know that I can hear him. "Wh-what happened?" I sigh deeply, looking at where he is sitting in the diagonal seat and then over to Lando who is sitting next to me in the back, his full attention on me.

"I told you. We broke up. It's over. It's done." I tell them.

"But you haven't said why. I'm sure you could fix it." Lando says from beside me and I rub my eyes tiredly, the events and emotions from today really beginning to drain me as I realise that I need to explain this properly, otherwise they will never drop it.