[3] MARANELLO || C. LECLERC

FORTY ONE

* the wait is over! i am so so sorry. however, good stuff is coming, i promise, and you don't want to miss that. i always have to factor in that i have other books to write. please keep this in mind, too! please don't forget to vote, comment and share. it would really be amazing, it helps me and motivates me so much! more comments = quicker chapter upload? the next one is one you don't want to miss. we'll see... *

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CAMILLE

Charles and I told my parents our news about expecting a baby. They were so overwhelmed, mama was unable to speak for a while as she held me, before placing her hands on my stomach. She told me that it was such a miracle for me to be able to have a baby, something that she struggled with for many years. The feeling of happiness which surrounded us as we told them was something I'd not felt in a long time.

We also told Pascale, who was delighted when we walked in with the small bear I'd gifted to Charles when I told him for the first time. She cried. She told us how delighted how her husband would've been to be there, to hear our news and to embrace us like she did. I saw Charles becoming more emotional at the mention of his father, and more than anything, in that moment, I wanted him to be there. I wanted to meet him and spend time with him, because Charles told stories about him like he was the most amazing man in the world. It would've most definitely been a true honour to meet a man like Charles' papa.

We chose to only tell close family, before going public with friends and social media followers. I knew Twitter and Instagram would go wild after our news, and at the moment, I didn't have the mental capacity to deal with that, but I wanted to keep things private for a while. I wanted to enjoy our news with our family, before telling the world. Charles and I had never been this happy before. We were expecting a little baby, and that felt like a dream come true.

During our relationship, Charles had always shown patience and care. Even after I doubted him, and branded him a liar when his ex decided to show up and make a move on him, he treated me with all the respect I deserved. Now, knowing that I was carrying his baby, despite it not being too obvious yet, he gave me more than ever before. Already, he was offering to do everything for me like I was nine months pregnant and due to give birth any day. I reminded him that I was still fully capable of doing my daily activities, like the simple things, but I was still shooting for Love, Camille, which was very obviously the biggest tell. Charles reiterated each night that it was because he wanted to prove that he would be the perfect Papa, that he would never let our baby down, and he would ensure they had every single opportunity to be exactly who they wanted to be. In fact, it brought tears to my eyes. Charles was the most caring person I'd been lucky enough to meet, and he was going to make the most perfect dad.

We were going to be such a perfect little family, despite our age and the comments some people might let slip. As long as we had one another, and the support of our parents and those closest to us, everything really would be okay.

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I approached the interview setup in the paddock, the warm British sun on my back, and making me glow more than I already was. Charles was constantly telling me that my pregnancy glow was something else.

My interview with Vogue was minutes away, and the final few checks were just being made in the remaining moments. Sara, as my manager and pretty much everything in between, was alongside me, and she introduced me to Zara, the petite woman who would be conducting the interview with me. Sara and Zara, you couldn't really get more similar names at once if you tried.

Part of this interview was for a YouTube segment, with the other part solely for their magazine publication. I'd done plenty of interviews, but this was the first I'd do recorded in the middle of the Formula 1 paddock. It just added a little more authenticity to the interview, and my brand, which it was a mini promotion for, after all. I wanted to reinforce to my viewers that I loved my job, and I loved my brand. Travelling, and spending my entire life, literally, in the Formula 1 paddock meant everything to me. I didn't wish for it to be any other way. That's why I wanted Love, Camille to reinforce my passion and my love for travelling and Formula 1. Without Max in my life from the very beginning, Love, Camille probably wouldn't even exist, never mind have the meaning that it carries. So, using him and using his passion for racing in my brand was very important to me.