Annabelle
We had been here in Oxford for a few days now, but we hadn't spent much time together because George always had training or other appointments. It was clearly noticeable that this championship lead and the current second place, just behind Verstappen, had shaken everyone up.
There was no thought of anything other than work and further development, after all George was supposed to be at the top at the end of the year, which is why I understood the current stress.
The last few days I had recovered a bit and walked around Oxford. A few times people recognized me and approached me, asking what had happened, but I was able to brush them off quite quickly.
However, pictures were circulating on the Internet and the world knew that I was currently here with George, and so was Berger. Every day I was afraid that he would be around the next corner and ambush me, which is why I usually just hung out briefly to get some fresh air.
But fortunately I hadn't heard from him since the picture from Belgium. I blocked his account and George as well. Besides, I and my boyfriend had decided to make a statement so that everyone knew what really happened.
Although there was still this panic in me that people would judge me and not believe me, George had spoken well to me and with him I was ready for it. I wanted to finally be able to put all of this behind me and really start my new life, my life with George and everything that went with it and everything that wasn't possible at the moment.
Sighing, I looked out the window at the fields and houses passing by. I was just sitting in a taxi to Brackley, to Mercedes, because George wanted to show me around there today. Happy to have a little distraction, I was excited to see what awaited me.
Since he already had training and other commitments that morning, I had to take the taxi there alone. I had walked the first part of the way, but on the outskirts of Oxford I got into a taxi, which arrived at the headquarters after half an hour.
I quickly thanked him and paid before getting out. The driver seemed a little strange to me the whole time with his full beard and glasses and I was happy to have finally arrived.
"Annabelle?" a man asked me as I entered the large entrance hall.
I realized it was Aleix, his trainer. We had seen and greeted each other briefly a few times so far, but we had never really introduced ourselves.
"Yes, that's me. You are Aleix, right?"
The man in front of me confirmed this and gave me his hand, which I shook in a friendly manner. He then said that George was still in the simulator, but that I could go up to him. I thanked Aleix for the information and the route description, which he gave me before we said goodbye and I went up the stairs.
A few people in Mercedes uniforms ran into me and looked at me in surprise, but said nothing.
"Annabelle?" I heard my name again and took a few steps back to the open office door.
Inside I recognized Rita. She was the one who handed me a plate at Silverstone and later brought me to her table. She was part of the marketing team along with two others and I was amazed that she remembered me.
"You remember me?" I asked confused as I leaned in the doorway.
Laughing, she got up and came over to me as there was a man sitting in the back who was talking on the phone.
"You are George's girlfriend and besides that we talked last season, of course I remember you. You study Marketing and Communication, right?"
"Studied yes. I finished it in May."
Rita gestures for me to follow her and I did as she turned around as she walked.
"So what are you doing now, anything in this area or something different?"
She looked at me curiously and for a moment I didn't know what to say. Rita opened a door above which there was a simulator and I followed her with interest while I answered.
"Nah, just my small job from while studying. I have some other things and not really a head for anything new at the moment."
"Oh right, you were in hospital. Are you better now, what happened?"
We were standing in front of an elevator waiting for it when I sighed. She seemed really nice and even then I got along well with her, even though she was almost twice my age. I told her the whole story in just a few sentences and Rita stood there, petrified and stunned, even though the elevator doors were already open.
"We are releasing a statement later today to clarify everything. I hope that it finds an end."
"I hope so too. Oh my god Annabelle I am so sorry for you and George. You two should be happy and George should enjoy his season."
"Yeah I know, sorry about that." I mumbled as we got in and Rita chose a floor.
A short elevator ride later we got out again and Rita held a large door open for me, but indicated that I should be quiet. I entered excitedly and saw countless screens and two men sitting behind them, looking intently at the data.
They glanced at us briefly, but then returned their attention to the data. The front wall was completely glazed and behind it there was a simulator with several screens that represented the view from the car.
"Sorry, I have to go back," Rita whispered to me as her cell phone vibrated and I quickly thanked her for accompanying me.
I then excitedly looked forward again at George, who was just crossing the finish line. One of the men said something through a microphone and I heard George's voice following. Immediately my stomach tingled and I waited anxiously for him to get out.
I just loved watching him work. The lights in the simulator room dimmed and I couldn't see anything until the door next to the screens and men opened and a sweaty George entered the room.
When he saw me, he immediately grinned and I smiled back in love. The three men chatted briefly before George said goodbye and came over to me, where he pulled me straight into a hug.
"Hey, you're sweaty," I complained, but my boyfriend just laughed and gave me a kiss on the forehead.
He then took me by the hand and we left the room together. When I got to his room, I collapsed onto the small sofa, laughing.
"Have I ever mentioned how attractive you are when you do your job and drive those cars."
George paused in what he was doing after pulling his shirt over his head.
"Babe you can't say such things when you want me to behave. And you are pretty cute when you are watching me do my job, I love it."
He winked at me and I bit my bottom lip nervously. Laughing, George turned around and took off his pants, which he threw onto the armchair next to his sweaty shirt.
"I want to take a quick shower."
And then he disappeared through a door into the next room, probably the bathroom. I grinned as I watched him go, looking at his almost exposed body. I would love to follow him into the shower, but unfortunately my body had something against it.
The last few nights it had never been possible to do more than cuddle, because as soon as George's hand came closer to my thigh and his lips to mine, everything just came flooding back. Berger's lips on mine in Spielberg and his hand under my skirt back then.
As if the universe had heard my thoughts, George's phone vibrated.
Your girlfriend and I had so much fun in the taxi earlier.
Even though it was just a quick preview with that phrase on his lock screen, my breathing stopped for a second and my legs started shaking. Knowing I couldn't stand much longer, I grabbed my phone and stumbled over to the bathroom.
Luckily George hadn't locked the door so I flung the door open and stumbled in. The sight of his nakedness through the glass of the shower irritated me for a moment and George seemed surprised too, but immediately grabbed a towel and came out when he saw me.
"Annabelle what happened? Honey please tell me what's wrong."
Concerned, he knelt next to me as I was now sitting on the floor leaning against the bathroom door. With shaking hands, I handed him his phone, which he immediately unlocked after looking at me in confusion.
His eyes grew larger and his body tensed more and more, so that his veins really showed. Since he was holding his phone so I could take a look at it, I saw that there was an image attached to the message.
I was recognized in the back seat of the taxi, looking out the window with my eyes slightly closed.
"Did he do anything?"
My heart was racing, but with George's hand on my shoulder and his calming voice, I was slowly able to relax again.
"No... No I... I didn't even recognize him. It was a man with a full beard and glasses but I had a strange feeling the whole ride, but he didn't do or say anything. But what ...what if he"
"Shh babe, calm down. I am here know and I promise you, I will never leave you alone not even in a stupid taxi."
George took me in his arms and I didn't care that he was completely wet, I needed him now. I didn't even want to imagine what could have happened. But how could I have guessed, of all the taxi drivers there were in Oxford, how had he even found me? After all, I had walked about two kilometers.
"I have to talk to Toto, it can't go on like this. I can't work and concentrate like this knowing you're not safe," said George angrily and tenderly pushed a strand of hair out of my face.
Unable to say anything, I just nodded. How was this all supposed to continue, especially what did Berger want to achieve with it, to finish me off? He had definitely achieved that. On the one hand, I was glad that nothing had happened in the taxi, even if I didn't understand why he had missed such an opportunity.
After a few minutes of silence, George stood up again and said he would quickly finish his shower.
"Can I stay here?" I asked quietly, still unable to get up.
"Sure babe."
George gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before untying his towel and getting back into the shower. Even though he was standing naked in front of me, I stared straight at the carpet and the cupboard under the sink, as if in a trance.
I didn't know what to say, do or think. All I knew was that I wouldn't be safe anywhere and George was getting more and more involved when he should be concentrating on racing. I didn't want to be the reason why he didn't win the title, I would never forgive myself for that.
"Are you cold?" George asked me after he stood in front of me in his room, dressed.
I nodded silently and my boyfriend reached into the closet before handing me a sweater and smiling. I was surprised to see that it was one of his latest collection and, satisfied, I slipped into it.
It didn't smell like George, but since he was holding me in his arms, it was okay. He then gave me his hand, which I took gratefully and together we stepped back out into the hallway. Toto's office was at the other end of the building, which meant we first had to walk through countless hallways, past offices, the canteen and other doors.
Eventually, however, we reached the boss's office and George cautiously knocked.
"Yes?"
I slowly pushed the door handle down and we entered together.
"Oh Annabelle, nice to see you again, George already told me that you would be here today. Are you having fun so far, are you enjoying it here?"
He pointed to the two armchairs in front of his desk and we hesitantly sat down. When Toto saw the looks on our faces, the grin on his lips disappeared and he looked at us seriously.
"What happened?"