malicious | max verstappen

thirty seven.

"Date idea, can we go to a rage room?" I asked out of nowhere, though it did seem like the best thing to do at a time like now.

His smile widened, "I was waiting for this one."

I chuckled, "Media and fans have always compared our anger levels, why don't we test that out?"

"Two people with extreme anger issues going to a rage room as a date. Sounds perfect." He joked then kissed me, dragging me off the sofa and into his room to start getting dressed.

"You left out the part where those two people love each other." I cheekily added.

"Oh, how can I possibly forget that?" The way he was looking at me made me want to go to the top of Burj Khalifa and scream to the whole world that I'm in love with him.

We got dressed, picked up some Starbucks for breakfast on the way there, and finally made it. The conversation I had with my dad earlier kept rewinding in my head for the whole ride, no matter how much Max tried to distract me.

I don't think I've ever felt so relieved until I got into that room and shattered a laptop into pieces after one hit.

"Damn, Garcia. Remind me to never get on your bad side." He commented.

We took turns destroying things and in no time, we were in a room full of debris. Hell, we even wrecked the table that we put the things to break on. Deciding to end the day with a donut and coffee from Starbucks was just the cherry on top.

I dreaded the day we had to separate and fly to Saudi Arabia for the 22nd race of the season. The stakes were higher than ever, even though I was still in P3 for the championship but there was a narrow 5 point gap between P1 and P3. I'd like to call it the best comeback of the season, though I was still in P3 but the fact that I was able to close a nearly 100 point gap was something to celebrate.

Which is why I took Ashley out for drinks the day we arrived at Saudi Arabia. I obviously let her know all about me and Max considering the fact that she was covering for me when I spent the past 2 weeks with him. Safe to say, she was beyond ecstatic for me. Later on, Isa and Charlotte joined us and got to know Ashley for the first time, making it a girls night filled with gossip— mostly about Kelly Piquet.

The next morning, I received a brief text from Toto.

mercedes team principal (boss):
Important team meeting in the office at 5. Expecting you to be there, don't be late.

A simple thumbs up emoji sufficed as my brain rummaged through all the possible things the meeting would be about. It wasn't until I bumped into Lewis when he told me he had no idea there was a team meeting in the first place—so it was a no brainer that this meeting was obviously about me. My damned future. Lewis offered to come with me but I denied since it was most likely something that concerns me.

I got to the office fifteen minutes earlier than supposed to which seemed to surprise both Toto and Hailey.

It wasn't long till the meeting started and Toto was the first to speak up, "So, Elyse, I know we haven't offered you a renewal contract yet, but if you don't mind me asking, have you gotten any offers?"

I furrowed my brows, "Yes, I do mind." I voiced my opinion, "How does that have anything to do with you?"

If he was a cartoon character, he'd have steam coming out of his ears. But he remained calm. "What's going on with you, El? This is not the Elyse I knew at the start of the year."

I scoffed in disbelief, "What's going on with me? More like what's going on with you, Toto? I know I'm not the same person I was at the beginning of the year but news flash, incase you didn't know, my mom died. I know I haven't been in top shape this past year but it's not like I'm having the best year ever, am I? I've made some mistakes, but so have you and the whole team – it's a natural process of being a team, we're all humans bound to make mistakes but why is it that when I do you instantly throw me away? You seriously didn't care about me to the point that you endangered my safety and made me break a leg. If that was your way of wishing me luck, it wasn't funny. You've been so fucking focussed with Lewis once he was in the lead but remind me, who was first the whole first half of the season? It was me. And I kept quiet all this time, telling myself it's just a phase and it'll pass but I'm being delusional. You're treating me exactly like when I first joined the team, but worse. Not only that, but even after all this shit you've put me through this season, you're planning behind my back to replace me."

"How did you know—"

I couldn't help but let out a sarcastic laugh, "Is that really what you gathered from all of what I said? How I know? I wish you could look at yourself and see how messed up you are for treating me like this."

"Elyse, drop it—" Hailey butted in.

"And who the hell are you to tell me what to do? You barely even do your job anymore."

"Well that girl Alley or whatever her name is has done an incredible job, huh?" She gave me a bitter smile.

I looked her up and down, "Yeah. More than you've ever done."

"Oh please. Remind me, who helped you when you were throwing up after getting shit-faced almost every night? Who stopped countless of scandals from happening? Without me, the world would've already known about the secret affair you have going on with Verstappen." She blurted out. "Oops."

I wanted nothing more than to bash her head against the wall repeatedly. The look of horror on Toto's face was enough to make me want to strangle her.

"You're having an affair with Verstappen?!" Toto exclaimed, fury and anger evident in his eyes.

"As if it concerns any of you. I was here to discuss my contract, not who I'm sleeping with."

"So it's true." He looked at me with shame and he was seriously starting to get on my last nerve.

"Yes, it's true, Toto. What are you going to do about it?" I knew I was destroying my very slim chances of getting a renewal contract but I wasn't going to accept their shit anymore. I was done. Even if it meant I was out of a seat next year.

He simply death-stared me before saying, "Guess you could say goodbye to your seat and welcome it to George Russell."

I stood up, giving him a tight yet insincere smile, "My pleasure. Nice doing business with you, Wolff."
With that, I left the office in a sour mood.

The day after that was practice day, and as soon as I entered the paddock, people were asking me what my future holds left and right. Turns out, they wasted no time in signing Russell for the 2022 season, leaving me seatless and possibly jobless for the upcoming year. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Lewis was the first person to come to me and ask me if I was okay, expressing how wrong he believed the whole situation was after I told him the whole story. The fact that we wouldn't be teammates next year filled me with a surge of dread.

While headlines were being made about me not having a seat secured for next season, my nerves were all over the place.

Despite all odds, I remained focussed, reminding myself with what was more important, rather than pondering about the future. In the end, I would be starting the race from pole position and I did my best to rub that in Toto's face, even though what mattered was the race.

During the race, Lewis managed to crash out within the first few laps leaving me and Max to fight for P1 for the rest of the race. But after a few laps with fresher tyres, I expanded the gap between me and him, leading me into an effortless victory— reclaiming my throne as the championship leader.

Finally.

Was the only word replaying through my mind.

I was finally in the lead with one last race left. And it all came down to the upcoming race.

It was safe to say, Lewis was practically out of the equation now that he crashed. The only way he could win was if both me and Max crashed, which is very likely to happen considering our past— but still.

Chances are, it's either car 33 or car 95 that will be named champion of the world— and you bet I'll sacrifice everything to ensure that car 95 passes that checkered flag first.
What did I have to lose? It was either make it or break it. And I sure as hell was going to make it.

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i hated this chapter sm😭 i have an extreme case of writer's block but i promise i'll make it up to u guys!!!

anywaysssss how are u guys thinking ab me potentially writing a charles fic?? i already have an idea planned out and may or may not started writing a bit so would u guys maybe be interested in that?? if u do, pls do tell cuz i'm lowkey kinda nervous ab starting another book🫣