The After Affect

Introduction-

Ellianas POV-

7/12/2025- monaco

I'm not going to sugar-coat it — I'm fuming.

Five years ago my dad called me saying McLaren needed a nurse and nobody wanted the job. He asked if I'd take it if he paid for me to study nursing. Of course I said yes. It meant I'd get to spend more time with him.

Fast-forward to now: I'm 23, married — we'll get to that — three months pregnant, and sitting on my bed with my laptop open watching the final race of the season.

He's about to do it.
Lando Norris is about to win the WDC.
My husband is about to win the WDC.

Yes, that part. We got married seven months ago, but we've been together almost five years. And now I'm here, crying in our home while carrying our first child, watching him win his first world title.

Everyone is there. His parents, his siblings, Max and his girlfriend, Keegan, my brothers... and of course, Magui. Lando's "girlfriend." I say it like that because I love Magui — she's an amazing friend, genuinely wonderful, stupidly talented, and stunning. She and Lando have a PR relationship contract with McLaren. She has a real boyfriend, very private. It never bothered me, even with the contract requiring them to kiss sometimes, because at the end of the day he comes home to me. I trust both of them. Hell, I'm the one who suggested her to the team.

So no — she's not the reason I'm angry.

I'm angry because I couldn't be there tonight. Because no one knows about me and Lando publicly. The whole team knows, obviously — they'd have to. But if the public ever found out that Lando Norris married Zak Brown's daughter, the media would immediately twist it into some narrative about favoritism and Oscar getting screwed over. Blah blah blah, same old bullshit. And honestly? Lando and I enjoy keeping things quiet. Just us.

But I wasn't even allowed to be there as part of the team. I've been at every single race this season as the private nurse for both Lando and Oscar. This was my first full season after finishing my degree. I joined halfway through 2024, and I've been there for everything.

But tonight? My dad said it was a "bad idea" for me to attend. They "couldn't predict Lando's actions after the race." Our argument was simple: Lando wanted me there. I'd stay in my office, no one would see me until pack-down. And Lando even told Zak and Andrea he didn't do anything unprofessional after Hungary — he literally kissed Magui on the side of her lips, and I was standing right next to her. Like I said, she's a girls' girl. Scandals or whatever, behind the scenes me, her, and Pietra are inseparable.

But no. I stayed home.

And as he crosses the line and wins, I'm crying even harder. He did it. He actually did it. This was his dream — and to do it with the team that's supported him from day one? It means everything to him.

As he climbs out of the car, he sends our little secret signal — holding up two fingers toward the camera. Our code. And that's it. I'm gone again. Because he knows I'm watching. He knows I'm home crying. He knows.

Podium. Confetti. Champagne. And I'm on my bed.

Hours later, everything has calmed down and I'm scrolling through TikTok edits, saving the ones worth showing Lando, when my dad calls.

"Hey, Dad. Congratulations. You did it," I say bluntly. My mind is already made up.

"Thank you, Els. I wish you could've been here with us."

"Well, I could've been if you didn't decide it was a bad idea," I spit back, hormones and anger teaming up to drag me under.

There's a pause. "El—"

"Dad, I'm leaving McLaren effective immediately. The way you and Andrea handled this was wrong. I'm his wife, for fuck's sake."

"Elliana, it was what we thought was best. If this is about you and Lando wanting to go public, we can figure that out, but we'd have to phase Magui out."

"No, Dad. We don't want to go public. I wanted to be there with my husband and the team to celebrate the final race of the season — but instead I'm home, alone, while you all get to go out."

"Ellie, I'm getting on a plane to discuss this further—"

"At the moment, Dad, you're not welcome here."
And I hang up.

Perfect. Wonderful.
The tears start again