21st august 2023, monaco
"I MISSED YOU!" Ella smiled, giving the little girl a warm hug. Millie had finally returned from her Aunties, her presence had been missed. Ella and Max had shared a wonderful evening together on Saturday, but it had ended slightly awkwardly in the hallway. Max hadn't said anything about the near kiss; neither had Antonella.
"You must be Antonella! Max has told me so much about you, and Millie." Victoria laughed, Ella outstretched a hand for her to shake but was glad to be greeted with a hug instead. "Please call me Ella," she insisted.
"Where's my princess?" Max shouted from the hallway that lead to his bedroom. He had been on the simulator preparing for the race this weekend when Millie had arrived. Millie ran and greeted her dad with a massive hug, Ella couldn't believe the size of Max's smile. "Well I'll see you lot this weekend," Victoria said her goodbyes, and quickly left.
"Did you have a good time, Mils?" Ella asked, Millie nodded excitedly and went into detail about her short time away. "Princess what do you want to do today?"
"Can we go to a water park? I went with Luka and Lio and I had sooo much fun!" Millie begged, Max agreed and asked his daughter to go and get ready to go. "You're okay with that, right?" Max asked Ella, considerately.
"Of course. You are joining us yes? You've spent the whole morning on the simulator," Ella asked, Max explained the simulator wasn't his choice but he was definitely joining them. "Okay, I'll go get ready." She smiled, and walked into her room, Max couldn't take his eyes off her. Something had changed between them on Saturday, he had almost kissed her but he couldn't, he knew he couldn't. He didn't seriously like Antonella, did he? No he was simply attracted to her, as a man, and nothing else.
Antonella hid her navy one piece under a summery sundress with some sandals and a woven bag. She packed a bag for Millie and french braided her hair for her. "Ready to go?"
After a long car journey, they had arrived at a water park and were on their way to the changing rooms. "I'll wait for you at the kid pool?" Max said, Ella nodded and took Millie into the women's to get a locker for their stuff. Ella took off hers and Millie's dresses and folded them into her bag. She got the towels out the bag ready for later, and took Millie's shoes off her. Ella shut the locker and put the wristband holding the key on her arm.
"This looks so fun!" Millie beamed, Ella couldn't help but laugh as she took her into the kiddie pool. Ella kept Millie close to her as she scanned the area for Max, finally she spotted him emerging from the men's changing rooms. He made his way over to them and joined them in the shallow pool. "Can we go on the slides now, Daddy?" Millie asked, Max gave in immediately and took his daughter out of Ella's arms and the three of them made their way to the outdoor area where all the slides and activities were.
It wasn't too busy, most likely because it was a Monday. But they were having fun nonetheless. They had went on a few slides, Millie was loving it. The group had the best day, and by the end of it, Ella was convinced she was a better swimmer. And so was Millie. Afterwards they got dinner, then drove home, and after a long day Millie went straight to bed.
"Max! Have you seen this?" Ella rushed towards where he was sat in the living room. Max could see the panic on her face, something was wrong. "Seen what?" He stood from the couch immediately, was Millie okay? She had been asleep for hours.
She shoved her phone in his face, Max immediately sighed at what he saw.
It didn't surprise him much, but he didn't like that people were writing articles about Antonella. "I'll get it sorted." Max promised, but Antonella was spiralling, she was about to break, Max could tell. "Antonella."
"How do you deal with all the rumours?" She breathed heavily, with her hand on her chest. What if her family saw? What if her brothers saw? What if her ex saw?
"Ignore them." Max said shortly, he held her shoulders and guided her to have a seat on the couch. "How can I ignore all these?" She showed him once more, Max shook his head. He knew it was bad, and he didn't know how to help. "I'll get it sorted right away." Max was immediately phoning someone, as Ella tried to remain calm on the couch.
Her phone buzzed next to her, for a second she didn't want to look. To her relief, it was Lissa and Bella phoning the group chat. She answered immediately, "Ella!" Lissa said worriedly, Antonella choked out a hello. "You guys have seen it, right?"
"I'm so sorry honey, can't Max get it sorted?" Bella asked, Antonella explained he was trying now. "What if it's too late? What if he's seen it?"
"He won't have! He doesn't even follow Formula One, you know that. He can't get you, ever again." Lissa said, Max tried not to eavesdrop, but his phone call was silent as his PR manager was doing everything in her power to fix this. He wondered who Ella and her friends were talking about.
"You're right. Thank you girls." Ella calmed, Max's phone call ended, he put his phone in his pocket and turned to face Ella. "Girls, I'll have to phone you back. I'll keep you updated." She turned her phone off and put it to the side, Max sat next to her on the couch. "I have people working to get them taken down."
"Thank you, Max." She sighed in relief, Max wanted to ask, but he shouldn't. But he had to, didn't he? "Antonella," he said softly, Ella waited for him to continue. "What were you talking to your friends about?"
"Nothing, they were just asking me if I had seen the news, which I obviously had," she lied quietly, Max put a hand on her leg, and asked again. "We were just wondering whether my ex had seen it, is all."
"Why would that be an issue? Are you still in love with him?" Max questioned, facing away from her because he didn't think he would survive if she said yes. "No definitely not!"
"Sorry I don't understand," Max looked back at her, his face screwed up in confusion. "We didn't have the cleanest break up, he wasn't a very nice boyfriend." She admitted, Max felt his jaw tighten. "Continue," he ordered. Ella took a deep breath. Truthfully she didn't want to tell Max, she didn't want her past to define her. "Max, I can't."
"Please. You don't have to worry about anything, I won't tell a soul." Max pleaded, Antonella shook her head delicately. "It's not that, I'm scared of what you might do."
"What? Ella, tell me now." Max said seriously, Ella looked away from him, she didn't know how to say it. "December last year, I broke up with my boyfriend of over two years. When we were together, at first it was great, we were rarely in public together but it was... comfortable - hence the never going on a date before. Anyway... My brothers approved, and he was nice, it was perfect. But after we'd been together for 8 months, something changed. He was rude, and controlling, he didn't let me see my friends or family and he... hurt me."
"What?" Max exclaimed, he was seething with anger already, and the look on Ella's face told him the story was far from over. "Max," she pleaded. He took a deep breath and told her to continue, his hand was still secure on her knee. "In January after we broke up, I kept noticing weird things. In my flat, at my work, everywhere. Something just felt off. I felt like I was being watched." Max struggled to listen, his right hand was clenched out of sight of Antonellas eyes. "And then the first week of February, I returned to my flat after having stayed at Bella's for a night, and my windows were smashed, stuff was broken, but nothing was stolen."
"The next bit I'm going to tell you, you can't tell anyone else," her voice broke. Max turned to look at her, and saw her eyes watering. He nodded, "you promise?"
"I promise," he whispered. "Nobody else knows," she coughed, Max let her take her time. "In February, I was walking home from work. And long story short, he attacked me in the street."
"Antonella," he breathed. "I don't want you to see me differently. I'm not some damaged girl who was attacked by her ex, I fought him, but he was bigger than me... I woke the next day in hospital, my mother told me they didn't know who did it, or why they did it. He didn't steal anything, he didn't... God I can't even say the words..." Ella choked. "I figured it was best not to tell them who it was, or that my ex was stalking me because I don't know what my brothers would do if they found out, and I don't want them to go to jail."
"I am so sorry that happened to you," Max said quietly, "I'm okay Max really, it made me stronger." She laughed, but Max couldn't bring himself to even smile. He hesitated, Ella could tell he wanted to say something but she wasn't sure what. "Fuck, come here." He shook his head as he spoke, he moved his hand from her leg to around her shoulders, and his right hand replaced where his left one once was on her leg. Ella nestled her head onto his shoulder, and tried her hardest not to cry. She had never spoke about any of it out loud, she didn't realise how hard it would be.
Max kissed her forehead and accidentally triggered her breaking point. "I'm sorry," she cried, Max reassured her she had nothing to apologise for, and that everything was okay now. As long as he was there for her, everything would be okay. And Antonella believed him.
"I don't know why I'm crying. It was ages ago now, I didn't cry over it when it happened," she rambled on and on. "That's because you bottled it up, you can let it out now," Max comforted.
a/n
a little bit about Antonellas past :(
for anyone who has been through or is
currently still experiencing something
similar, you are not alone!
if you need anything you can always
PM me on tiktok @/sof1eluvr
since my wattpad PMs don't work.
<3