𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐃 - 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐂

𝐈𝐕

I was woken from my microsleep by Kelly. "Hey, Nettie, it's over," she shook me.

"You need to go to Charles in the driver's room." added Max, who somehow appeared next to her.

Dutifully, I rose from my seat and went to my fiancé. I crossed the bustling pit lane and entered the Ferrari pit. Inside, I got lost and didn't know where to go.

"Do you need help, señorita?" I heard someone say with a strong Spanish accent.

"If you would be so kind... I'm looking for Charles's driver's room," I replied.

The Spaniard chuckled. "Unfortunately, Charles's admirers are not allowed to enter there."

"Hah, but I'm not just any admirer. I'm his fiancée," I showed him the ring on my finger.

"No, you're not," he laughed incredulously. "No, you're not..." Then he must have realized that I was serious.

"Okay, once again. How do I get to Charles?"

"At the back and to the left. By the way, I'm Carlos Sainz, Charles's teammate," he offered his hand.

I shook his hand firmly. "Nettie - Antoinette Moreau," I introduced myself.

"Very nice to meet you, but I won't keep you any longer. Go see Lord Perceval."

"See you around," I said goodbye and left.

I knocked on the driver's room door. "Nettie, come in!"

"Hello, how have you been?" I entered.

"It could have been better, but it could have been worse. It was alright. We'll see how it goes tomorrow in the qualification," he replied.

"Did you want to see me?"

"Yes, I need to discuss something with you. As you know, there are a lot of fans and media outside, it might be a suitable opportunity to... you know, show... us... together... you know."

"But thats not all, right?"

"There's something else. I have rules. No kissing, ever. Just holding hands and occasional hugs. Alex wouldn't survive it."

"Just that?"

"Just pretend you're happy, and I'll do the same."

"At your command, sir," and I saluted exactly as soldiers do when passing by a general.

All day long, I played the happiest fiancée in the world. I kept the most convincing smile on my face, calmly answered questions from reporters and fans:

"Who are you?"

"My name is Antoinette Moreau, and I'm Charles Leclerc's fiancée." I replied.

"How did you two get together?"

"It all happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to notice," Charles replied with soft smile, looking at me.

"It was love at first sight," I added quickly, squeezing his hand even tighter.

"You're doing great," Charles whispered to me as we moved away from the crowd.

"Really? Because inside, I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs," I confessed.

I saw Carlos slowly jogging towards us from a distance, waving already. He first exchanged a high-five with Charles and then turned to me. "Princesa soleada, nice to see you again. Your smile lights up the whole pit lane," he said, embracing me.

"You've chosen really well," he said to Charles. "Perceval, I was wondering, wouldn't you join us for a drink tonight? Bring Nettie along," he suggested.

"I would rather..."

"Of course," I jumped in, finishing Charles's sentence.

Carlos grinned contentedly and walked away. Charles sharply pulled me by the shoulder and turned me towards him. "Qu'est-ce que tu fais?"

"Nothing, I'm just going to have some fun," I replied calmly.

"Merde, I can't go with you to the club. What will Alex think about that?" He threw his hands up in exasperation.

"And who says you have to go with me?"

He lost it. "And who do you want to go with? With Carlos? In case you forgot, you're my fiancée, not his! What will people think about that, for God's sake, think it through!"

"I don't think it will matter."

He didn't say anything else, just shrugged and walked away. This salaud won't tell me what I can and cannot do!

Charles

I locked myself in the driver's room and dialed the number on my mobile. The voice of my beloved Alexandra answered. Oh, how much I needed to hear her.

"Oh, hi Charlie, everything alright?"

I took a deep breath. "Nettie is going with me to a bar, I just wanted to let you know, because, as you know, I can't stand lying to you," then quickly added, "It doesn't mean anything, we're just going to blow off some steam with Carlos and others."

Alex fell silent for a moment. "I don't like it at all. First, you say she's just your duty, but then I find out she's traveling with you to the race, you're sleeping together in the same bed, and now you're going to a bar together. It's like you've forgotten I exist. It's like you're in a relationship with her and not me!"

I sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

She laughed. "You're not going anywhere, or else it's over. I won't let myself be treated like chienne!"

"I love you, Alexandra, with all my heart. You know that very well..."

"And where is that love, Charlie? I can't see it, I can't feel it... if you really love me as you say, you will let her go, but alone."

Without a word, I hung up. Why does everything have to be so damn complicated?

I changed from my fireproof racing suit into a Ferrari t-shirt and comfortable jeans, then headed to the pit lane. Antoinette was waiting in front of it, engaged in lively conversation with Kelly. When I stood next to her, she ignored me, not giving me any attention.

The silence continued in our hotel room. God, why are women so complicated? I haven't done anything wrong. "Stop ignoring me! I can't go with you, and you certainly won't go alone!"

"And why not? I'm an adult, I can do what I want, you're not responsible for me. And besides, I won't be alone, Carlos is going, and I heard that some other people are showing up too."

"Once again, I'm your fiancé, not Carlos! And once again, what will people think if it gets out?!"

"You might be my fiancé, but only on paper! Charles, merde, nobody cares where I am, as long as I'm not with you! The media is interested in YOU and YOUR LIFE, not mine! And next to Carlos, I'll be almost invisible! I can't help it that you have an offensive girlfriend, and I'm sorry for everything that's happening, but I can't do anything about it!" she screamed.

She locked herself in the bathroom and didn't come out.

God, I needed some fresh air! I threw on a denim jacket and left the hotel for the Melbourne night. Dad, why are you doing this to me? I thought as I gazed at the beautiful night sky. I didn't care that there were qualifications tomorrow - right now, I needed to clear my head from the complicated thoughts swirling in my mind.

I've never dealt with relationship problems before, I've never lied to the whole world about my love life... until I met her.

"Antoinette Moreau, you turned my whole life upside down."