𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬

𝟐 | 𝚳𝛐𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧

The ambulance took Jules to the hospital; a helicopter couldn't fly through the heavy rain. As the hours turned into days, we learned that he'd suffered severe brain damage and had undergone multiple surgeries. Jules, who had been like family to us, was now lying in a coma, his future uncertain.

We visited him nearly every day, but seeing him so still and vulnerable was agony. On November 23rd, they moved him to a hospital in Nice, closer to his family's home, and we had to see him less often. School took priority, and life tried to pull us back to a "normal" that felt impossible.

Then came July 17th. The day we received the message that Jules had passed away. I was twelve, and my world shattered with his loss. Nine months he had held on, and now he was gone. I retreated to my room, locking the door and letting the grief swallow me whole for four endless days.

At the funeral, his parents invited us to speak. I choked on every word, blaming myself for a petty argument I'd had with him before the race. "If I hadn't argued with him, maybe he would've focused more..." I muttered brokenly to his mother, who placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Don't be ridiculous," she said softly. But the guilt stayed, a shadow that followed me long after he was gone.

The tragedy marked Charles, too. That same weekend, he made his Formula 1 debut, carrying Jules' dreams alongside his own. Jules had always been his role model, and now Charles raced with a renewed purpose: to achieve everything that Jules had once dreamed of.

- | -

2020 ~ Moving Forward

Years have passed, but the memory of Jules feels as fresh as ever. Charles has moved forward in Formula 1, and Arthur and I have worked our way up to Formula 2. Our dad passed away last year, another painful loss, especially for Charles, who now races for Ferrari—the team he and Jules once idolized together. Charles pours himself into his racing for Jules, honoring his legacy every time he's on the track.

Arthur and I recently signed with Prema Powerteam, achieving the goal we'd chased for two long years. But the loss of Jules has scarred me deeply, leading to dark periods of depression that I'm still trying to work through. Racing, however, remains my lifeline, my way of making Jules proud.

In a week and a half, our season begins. Every day is spent training, in the gym and on the simulator, pushing to be our very best. Charles trains alongside us, his relentless drive setting the example we follow. Our test days in Spain went well, but nerves still grip me. I'm the only girl in Formula 2, and the spotlight is fierce, but I'm here because of my own efforts, not because of my brothers.

On the Monday before we fly to Bahrain, I pack my bags, excitement tinged with anxiety. Charles knocks on my door and peeks in, grinning. "Ready, Sophie?"

"Yeah, coming!" I grab my suitcase, and we head downstairs, where Max is already waiting to drive us to the airport. Arthur helps me with my luggage, and soon we're en route, navigating through the media crowd swarming the airport. We manage to slip by quickly, check in, and find our gate with time to spare.

On the plane, I curl up against Charles, who chuckles as I drift off. "You always fall asleep on planes, Sophie," he teases, nudging me awake as we land. I smile sleepily, and together we make our way to the hotel. Once we check in, exhaustion pulls me under, and I collapse onto my bed, letting the excitement and nerves of the coming season fade into sleep.