Apex | Charles Leclerc

Chapter 63

Another update? Damn, who is she? AHAHHAHA This is just a short one!! I was in the mood to write another chapter because I found out we got an extension for our thesis (thank you God).

Enjoy!

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February 14, 2028 - Monaco

Three years.

It's been three years since my life changed. It's been three years since I met the man who would impact my life in a way I never expected. It's been three years since I met the love of my life who I would always fight for and fight with through every single thing.

Charles already knew the history of how we met when we went to Nice. The two of us were blushing like crazy— more of me since I remembered every detail that happened that night. There was so much significance with this day that we both had an unspoken agreement that it was only going to be about us.

But of course, things don't always go our way.

We both decided that staying in was the best idea. Ever since his accident, Charles hasn't had a quiet day outside where people would always flock towards him. It wasn't like before when he could easily walk within Monaco with only a few fans asking for pictures. Nope. It was like the entirety of Monaco wanted to know how their golden boy was doing.

The two of us slept in, still sleeping in separate rooms. That was a line we weren't ready to cross yet. We've been busy the past few days with our own careers, we didn't have any food inside the apartment so a quick trip to the grocery was scheduled. On the way there, I saw a newly opened coffee shop and Charles knew what I was going to say before I even opened my mouth.

"I'll see you at the store." He smirked, fingers brushing against mine before he turned around and left me at the coffee shop.

Things were going well. The cafe's menu looked promising and they even had some pastries that I got in case we wanted dessert. The barista called my name, two drinks in his hands. The first sip of coffee I made was a confirmation that this place knew how to make its coffee.

I was walking out of the cafe with a smile on my face when someone began walking alongside me and completely wiped the happiness I felt and replaced it with frustration.

"Happy Valentine's Day." Nikolai greeted and I groaned. I stopped walking and looked up at the bright sky, questioning the universe as to why it never lets me have a break.

I'm not made of steel for fuck's sake.

I ignored Nikolai and headed for the direction of the grocery store, praying that he would leave me alone.

That never happens.

He's toned down on the flirting ever since we had that day a few years ago when a silent truce was made. But just because we made peace with one another doesn't mean he stopped carelessly flirting with me and wasting my time.

"You need to stop following me like a lost puppy." I grumbled as we waited to cross the street, my eyes zoomed in on the red light. The grocery store was right across the street and I hope Charles was busy enough to not see us. The last conversation we had about Nikolai was when he saw the note in my office and we ended up having a big fight about it. "Is your head that thick that my words are like white noise to you?"

"Come on." Nikolai smirked, leaning against the post beside us. "I thought we were friends."

"Friends don't bother friends and flirt with them endlessly despite the very many times they've been rejected. We're not friends, Nikolai." The evident frustration in my voice only urged me on as the light turned green and the pedestrians were allowed to cross. I didn't even hide my disdain when he followed me again.