Race for the Throne | Formula One

75. Champagne and Fireworks

Charles and I spent the next few months rebuilding our relationship, we started going to a couples counselor so that we could work on our communication and my struggles with letting Charles in when things were difficult. And true to my word to Mateo, I started going to therapy for myself as well.

I stopped hiding our relationship as well. As soon as the news broke that we were back together, I asked Charles if he would do an official interview with me. During it, I explained how I broke up with him to protect him and that I never stopped loving him. He was willing to go to different events that I had to do now that I was the Sovereign Princess. I had gone back into mourning so that I could genuinely grieve my loss. I had also arranged a small memorial service with just those I was closest with to honor my family since I wasn't able to really do that at the funeral. It was offered to me to have a new coronation, a re-do. But I turned it down. What happened would always be a part of me and of my people, I didn't want to pretend it didn't happen.

During those months before the racing season started again, Charles and I lived apart but spent a lot of time together. I spent the holidays with his family. His mother, once I had fully explained everything, forgave me and thanked me for keeping her sons safe. Lorenzo swore that he always knew I must've had secret motives. They were as much my family now as the drivers were and I wouldn't have made it through without them. Whenever everything got to be too much and I couldn't go to Charles, I would go to his mother's house or she would come to the palace and she would help me to calm down and to breathe.

Once I had stopped messing with my shoulder, it had healed and with the help of physical therapy it had returned to full use. But more importantly, I felt myself healing. From not only my family's death but also from what happened in university.

As the Sovereign Princess, I also had significantly more duties to attend to. I worked closely with the different leaders of my government to strengthen our security. Mateo was vital to that as well. I made sure to always share all updates with Charles, I never wanted to keep anything from him again. Mateo and I had already been close but I had come to truly appreciate everything he did to keep me safe and I stopped running away from him in an effort to make his life easier. It was also harder in general to run with all my responsibilities but I told him I stopped for him out of principle and to make him feel better.

Just before the racing season started up again, Charles pulled me aside and told me he understood if I couldn't come to races anymore and that he still loved me even though I couldn't. I burst into tears on the spot because it had been the first time he said he loved me after everything. He admitted that he had held off saying it because he was afraid of getting hurt again. I couldn't blame him for that, I still frequently had nightmares about the things I had said to him, among other things. But after all the work we put into our relationship, we felt strong together, secure and happy.

When the Monaco Grand Prix came around, I was the one who handed Charles his 1st place trophy. He kissed me on the podium after I gave it to him and I was so genuinely happy that I was still alive.

As the season wound down, Charles and Max were once again battling for the championship down to the last race. I had told Charles that I wouldn't be able to make it but behind his back I was talking to Arthur, planning to surprise him the day of the race.

When my plane landed, Mateo drove me straight to the circuit. I had timed it so that I'd get there just before race time. I got into the paddock without issues. Arthur met me outside of Ferrari.

"He's in his driver's room." Arthur hugged me.

I smiled before walking towards the driver room. Carlos ran into me on the way and wrapped me tightly in a hug.