Unhinged | Max Verstappen

Chapter 3

Angélique's mind whirled with a mixture of confusion and frustration as she stared at Max, his piercing gaze drilling into her like a laser. His cocky demeanor grated on her nerves, his arrogance fueling the fire of her simmering anger.

"What do you want, Verstappen?" she snapped, her tone laced with thinly veiled hostility as she crossed her arms over her chest. "And why drag me into this secluded corner like some sort of clandestine meeting?"

Max's lips curled into a smirk, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "Oh, you know, just wanted to have a little chat," he replied nonchalantly, his tone dripping with arrogance. "Thought we could clear the air, so to speak."

Angélique scoffed, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Clear the air?" she echoed incredulously. "What's there to clear? You've made it abundantly clear where we stand, Verstappen."

Max's smirk widened, a glint of challenge in his eyes. "Come on, Leclerc," he retorted, his voice taunting. "I know you've got a temper, but surely we can have a civilized conversation, can't we?"

Angélique bristled at the use of her last name, her jaw clenching with frustration. "Civilized?" she snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Funny, coming from someone who clearly has no regard for anyone's feelings but his own."

As the argument between Angélique and Max escalated, the air crackled with tension, their words cutting through the quiet of the secluded corner like knives. Each barb traded between them was a reminder of the deep-seated animosity that had festered between them for years, a resentment born from childhood rivalry and unspoken grievances.

"You think this is a joke, Verstappen?" Angélique seethed, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. "You ruined everything for me back then, and now you have the audacity to act like nothing happened?"

Max's smirk faltered slightly, his expression hardening with defiance. "Oh, please," he scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. "Don't act like you were some innocent victim. You knew the risks when you stepped onto that track."

The mention of their shared past sent a surge of bitterness coursing through Angélique's veins, dredging up memories she had long tried to bury. She had once harbored dreams of following in her brother's footsteps, of carving out her own legacy on the racetrack. But those dreams had been shattered the moment Max came crashing into her life, leaving behind a trail of wreckage and broken promises.

"I had every right to be there," she shot back, her voice raw with emotion. "But you couldn't handle the competition, could you? You had to sabotage everything, just like you always do." Max's eyes blazed with fury, his fists clenched at his sides as he struggled to contain his temper. "You don't know anything," he spat, his voice low and dangerous. "You never did."

Before Angélique could respond, Daniel Ricciardo appeared at Max's side, a concerned frown etched into his features. "Max, mate, let's go," he urged, his tone gentle but firm. "This isn't the time or place." Max shot Angélique one last venomous glare before storming off with Daniel in tow, leaving her alone in the shadowy corner of the paddock. Angélique stood there for a moment, her chest heaving with the weight of her anger and frustration.

With a frustrated huff, she turned on her heel and marched away, her steps echoing loudly in the empty corridor. The anger burned hot within her, fueling her determination to put as much distance between herself and the paddock as possible. She needed to cool off, to clear her head and regain control of her emotions before they consumed her entirely.

As Angélique stormed out of the paddock, her mind churned with a whirlwind of emotions. The encounter with Max had left her seething with frustration, but as she walked, the cool breeze of the afternoon air began to soothe her frayed nerves. With each step, she reminded herself of the journey she had taken to get to where she was now—a successful artist with a promising career ahead of her.