Come Back...Be Here - Charles Leclerc

Chapter 174: Ferrari vs Mary

🎶 What Goes Around...Comes Around - Radio Edit — Justin Timberlake 🎶

Nicolas and I were sat in the team principal's office and I was so nervous as I didn't know what all this was about. Mia and Charles finally also entered the room and he sat down between us, while she pushed a chair next to Vasseur's seat and opened up her iPad and wildly tapped around on it, she then turned it to us and a video call with a man appeared on the screen.
"This is Gianfranco, our head of PR, he sits back in Maranello" she explained to me. "Fred should be here any minute" she added, now speaking to all of us.

And he arrived after a few minutes, taking his seat next to Mia.
"Thanks for coming, Gianfranco, your turn" he spoke with his French accent.
"Yes, thank you. Very good to see you all. We must say, we were a bit taken aback to see Mary in the Paddock today, you could have given us a warning about that. And Lorenzo, never give out another person's pass again - or we will have to restrict your accesses to those" the guy spoke and my mouth flew open. How the fuck was he talking to us?
"Yes, a little warning would have been great. We can be thankful that no one snapped a picture of you yet, Mary" Mia said seriously.
"Sorry, what is all this about?" Nicolas now spoke with a stern tone.
Mia whipped out some pieces of paper and laid them in front of us three. I saw that it was Charles' contract.
"Paragraph 15, point 3: You need to inform us of a private relationship of yours before making public appearances in a motorsport-related environment. We reserve the right to deny such a display related in any way to Ferrari." Mia told Charles.
"Look, we all loved you guys together and the fans certainly did too, but since your breakup our department had to work overtime for all your stupid appearances with different girls, Charles, and now that we finally managed to sell this "single-guy-living-his-best-life" image of yours, your ex or now girlfriend appears here. We already have enough on our plate with Carlos and his new girl, with that being very controversial - we cannot add re-changing and polishing your image again now." Gianfranco said.
"And, may I add, your results haven't been the greatest this season... We just don't want you distracted-" Fred tried to say in a calmer tone but I interrupted him by slamming my hand on his table.
"That's because you gave him a shit car!" I shouted, but Nicolas quickly grabbed my arm, signalling me to calm down.

"Ok, what are the options?" Nicolas asked.
"Comply with the contract: no posting pictures together, no public appearances, no appearance making it possible to hint to a relationship or activate the release clause" Gianfranco replied.
"Are you serious? Either Mary or Ferrari? And how long would that circus of keeping their relationship secret be?" Nicolas said, starting to get angry.
"Maybe it can be over when we win a championship together?" Mia asked sarcastically, but she was kind of being serious.
My mouth flew open once again and I quickly took the contract laying in front of me to read that section once again, but I knew that it was water-tight. I knew because I had chosen almost the exact same wording when writing George's contract. He also had that same clause.

"My lawyers will look at this!" Nicolas threatened, but it was now my turn to grab his arm.
"It's water-tight, there's no way around this" I said quietly. Him and Charles looked at me on defeat, they knew I was a good lawyer.
"We'll let you discuss this alone now" Mia said, took her iPad and made her way out of the room with Fred following her.

We sat there in silence for a few moments and then Nicolas spoke up: "There's really no way around this?"
I shook my head. "I don't see where and frankly, a legal battle over this would be the worst kind of PR Charles could get..." I replied.
"I mean, silly season is starting, Lewis' contract is expiring, Checo's spot at Red Bull isn't the safest, we could try-" Nicolas said but Charles cut him off, finally speaking his first words.
"But they're not Ferrari" he whispered.
"No, they're not Ferrari. But no one else is like Mary" Nicolas answered.
Charles nodded, deep in thought.
"Maybe I should leave you two alone to discuss this" his manager said and stood up quietly to leave the room.

Charles and I were now looking at each other and I dreaded the words that could possibly come out of his mouth.