UNBROKEN [ MAX VERSTAPPEN ]

9. Hasselt

[ Monaco, January 20, 2021]
- Victoria

"I'm going to the bathroom" - Victoria unbuckles her seat belt and stands up towards the back of the plane, Max's private jet is quite large, Victoria is sitting in the seat in front of me, being separated by a small table, and Max is across the aisle sitting on the window side entertained watching something on his phone, I look at the small window and all I can see clouds below us, the plane has been in the air for an hour now and we almost missed the plane because of the argument Max had with Charles at the door of the building.

"I keep saying I don't like the idea of going out with him." - I wake up from my thoughts with Max's voice, his eyes still fixed on his cell phone.
"

And I don't like the fact that you give your opinion about who I can and can't date, it's always the same thing." - I glance back to the outside of the plane.

"I'm just trying to protect you Vic." - he says and I hear him put his phone down, clearly the tone of this conversation has changed.

"I don't need protection Max, I am 28 years old, I am not a princess or a damsel in distress" - I finally look at him and our gazes cross - "Do you think you have outlived me? Not, you think I haven't dealt with men like Charles, you think I don't know things I do"

"You don't know him Victoria." - he speaks in a louder tone.

"I am trying to get to know him, but you are not making it easy Max." - I say in a louder tone than his - "Stop interfering in my personal life, and worry about yours, I work for you, but I won't have you trying to boss me around, you want to boss someone around boss your girlfriend."

"Stop both of you right now" - Victoria speaks from the back of the plane - "You are making this trip unbearable and we haven't even gotten off the plane yet." - she sits back down in front of me and continues - "You two need to sit down and have a conversation like the adults you are." - Victoria puts on her headphones and leans her head against the window and I do the same simply ignoring Max once again.

I know Max is only trying to help me, but the way he is doing it makes me suffocate and after what he told me last night, I know he is only acting out of jealousy, but the reality is that he doesn't know any of this because no one else remembers what happened that night, and for the sake of my job and his relationship with Kelly, this secret will die with me.

[...]

As soon as the plane lands and we are cleared to leave the plane, Jos is waiting for us on the runway leaning against a beautiful white Range Rover, Victoria gets off the plane and quickly runs into her father's arms, which reminds me of my father and how much I miss him, then I greet Max and he opens his arms to welcome me as well.

"Victoria." - he says as he hugs me, Jos has known my father for about 5 years when he worked on the construction of his family's yacht, so when in conversation with the two of them, Jos mentioned that he needed a public relations person, my father automatically nominated me for the position, and although I have never met Jos' family, he welcomed me with open arms - "So how is your father? I haven't spoken to him recently."

"Okay, right now he is in France working on building a Yacht for some businessman in Dubai." - I speak as I walk away from him - "You know how he is Jos, always back and forth."

"Can you guys hurry up?" - Max speaks as he crosses his arms, he is leaning against his father's Range Rover, looking unsympathetic.

"Is he in a bad mood?" - Jos speaks and laughs at me after the bags are put in the car we continue our trip and after 1 hour we arrive at Jos' house - " These three days you will stay at my house, Max's house is still under construction."