Playing With Fire (Sebastian Vettel)

40. A Decision Not Took Lightly

"Mollie. I think we should cool things."

"What?"  Mollie exclaimed, not believing what she was hearing. 

"I love you, but if you're thinking about quitting for me...I'm not worth that.  And to be honest, you're becoming a distraction. I want more championships.  I need to give more.   I can't give you everything.  I think it's best that we go our separate ways, at least for now."

Seb's heart was breaking as he saw the look on her face.  He was lying of course. She was more important to him than any championship. That's why he was doing this. She couldn't throw it all away for him. It wasn't forever. Another two years and his contract would be up. Then he could retire and he would follow her around the world. He had to make her believe it though.  If he took himself out of the equation she would do what she needed to do for her career. 

"We can be together again in the future.  I just need space right now  Mols.  This is suffocating me. Everything is too intense and I feel like I can't breathe."

"Seb, please don't do this.  I love you.  I can't do it without you."

"But you can Mols.  You're strong. You have Ash, you have your family.  You have a great team behind you.  You can do it and you will have to. My mind is made up. We're over Mollie."

"No "

"I'm sorry."

"Seb, you love me. Why would you do this? I don't believe you. I love you. Please don't throw us away. We're Mobastian," she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Seb stood up and crossed the room.

"Sebastian. We need to talk. I'll try to be less distracting. Babe. I need you."

"Mollie. I'm sorry. I'm going to go and stay with Antti. It's for the best. I hope we can stay friends. We were friends before we were anything else."

He began shoving his stuff into his case. Mollie grabbed his arm.

"Mollie. Don't make this even harder than it already is."

"Is this because of the bikini pics? I told you I won't do it again!"

"No Mollie. It has nothing to do with that."

"Is it because I haven't spoken to you about my future plans? If it is then I will tell you. I'll tell you everything. Matthew Thorne offered..."

"Mollie! You don't get it do you? The truth is I don't want to be with you. I don't want to know your plans because it doesn't matter to me."

Mollie knew he was lying. His eyes were full of tears and he was shaking. He was doing this so she didn't give her career up. He wasn't doing this because he didn't love her. He was doing it because he loved her.

"Please," she cried one more time. "Don't leave me Seb." He shrugged her off. Then he smiled. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Mols. It's for the best." Then he left, dragging his case behind him.

Mollie sank to the floor, sobbing. How was she meant to do this without him? She got up and crossed the room to the mini bar. She opened it, then remembered that Seb always had it cleared out on arrival.

She dropped down onto the bed, crying her heart out. She wanted Seb to come back and tell her that he'd changed his mind. Surely he didn't mean it. She tried calling him. It rang twice but then was diverted to voicemail.

She curled up in a ball and sobbed until there were no more tears left to cry. Then she lay staring at the ceiling. She guessed her mind had been made up. If she and Seb were done then there was nothing stopping her from accepting Matthew Thorne's offer. She picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts and hit dial.

"Hello Mollie."

"Hey Matthew, I've made my decision. Count me in."

"You've made me a very happy man Mollie Rashford. I'll get the lawyers started on the contract. You're agreeable to the salary?"

"30% on top of what I'm on now? Yes. One year deal with an option for a second year."

"Yes."

"There is one thing I want to ask though Matthew."

"What's that?"

"Can we keep it quiet for as long as possible?"

"Any particular reason?"

"I just don't want the media attention. There's going to be enough of that pretty soon. Seb and I have broken up."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Shit happens. Probably for the best. I was a distraction apparently. He'd probably have been one to me too. Now I can focus 100%."

"Ok, can you come and see me over the weekend to talk things through?"

"I'm not going to be here. I'm booking a flight. I'm going home."

"See you in Abu Dhabi?"

"Sure. Gonna end this season in style. Make sure Formula W doesn't forget the name Mollie Rashford."

"As if anyone would ever forget you Mollie. Have a safe flight. See you soon."

Mollie hung up. It was done. There was more to come for Mollie Rashford. The world hadn't seen the end of her story. She may have lost her Prince but she was determined she was going to get that happy ending.

***

"Has he said anything?" Britta asked Antti as Seb climbed in the car for FP1.

"Nope. Not since he arrived at my door with his case. All he said was it was over with Mollie and he needed a place to crash."

"I'm going to call her." Britta headed off to get some privacy and dialled Mollie's number.

"Hello?"

"Mollie, it's Britta. What's going on? Seb won't say."

"It's over Britta. You'll need to ask him why, because it was his choice."

"Please, there must be some misunderstanding. He loves you more than anything."

"Apparently not."

"Can you not sit down together later and talk it out?"

"Britta, I'm at the airport. I'm going home. Look I appreciate you trying, but he was adamant that it's over. Goodbye Britta. Look after him for me ."

Britta hung up in shock. What was going on? She knew Seb was deeply in love with Mollie. He wouldn't just dump her for no reason.

She headed back to the garage and found Antti.

"He dumped her. She's heading back to the UK. Looks like it really is over." They stood in silence. There was nothing they could really say, only that they both hoped that Seb and Mollie would one day find their way back to each other.