Apex | Charles Leclerc

Chapter 64

If you haven't noticed, I have a tendency to update frequently before disappearing again because I'm busy 😂

Enjoy!

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March 05, 2028 - Bahrain

It's the first race of the season and all eyes are on Charles.

The pre-season testing went well for him with Toto and the team reassuring him that everything was all good with regards to him and the car. It was obvious that the countless of meetings and trainings that Charles went through paid off. It wasn't easy to learn all of the new regulations that were enforced since 2025 and Charles mainly spent the last month going over huge amounts of data from the previous season as well.

Those were one of the few times where we focused on things that weren't about us. Adaline still sent me some files for work, so some of our nights turned into comfortable silences where the two of us sat in front of the dining table with a cup of coffee to keep us awake. I'd have my case files in front of me while he'd have his laptop open and a few paperwork that Toto sent.

It was also amusing how I was the one pushing for the two of us to take a break. I knew Charles' work ethic was just as strong as mine, but I've never seen him like this. He'd go over the data and take note of every detail that wasn't clear to him by writing it on a blue notebook that he would bring during meetings. Sometimes, we'd both be so engrossed in our work that we wouldn't notice the time. He was working as much as I was and it was a bit alarming since he always knew how to balance work and his personal life.

The entire Leclerc family was in attendance. Lorenzo had the kids for the weekend and I was just dying to see them both. It's been a rough couple of weeks and the happiness that surges through me because of Callie and Marcus is just the best feeling.

They were currently at the Paddock Club to go around since it was the first time that the kids were attending a race. I was having coffee at the motorhome when Charles walked in, his face stoic and expressionless. I looked behind him as the doors closed and saw a hoard of cameras pointed at him, journalists and photographers hoping to get a photo.

When he saw me, he grabbed my hand without saying a word and pulled me upstairs to his driver's room. "What's wrong?" I asked when the door closed behind me and Charles let go of my hand. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply before sitting on the sofa that's been set up inside. His driver's room in Mercedes is definitely bigger than the one he had in Ferrari. "Charles, talk to me please." I said, standing in front of him.

As soon as he looked up, his green eyes said it all. His eyebrows were scrunched up in worry as he bit his lip, the nerves he was feeling clear and bright as day. "I don't know if I can do this." His voice broke as he shook his head and I refrained myself from climbing onto his lap and pulling hil close to me. "What if something goes wrong? What if there's another accident? Nadia, I can't take another one. My family can't take it. You can't take it. I don't want to be responsible for that kind of pain."

"Hey, hey." I crouched down in front of him, cupping his cheeks with my hands. "Do you still want to be in this sport?"

"What?" He asked, not knowing where the question came from.

"Do you still want to be in this sport?" I repeated, my right thumb brushing against the flesh of his cheek. "Because if the answer is no, then I will gladly book us a ticket home. Everything will be okay and I'm sure the team will understand." Honestly, I can't imagine him leaving Formula One while he was still in his prime. There have been plenty of drivers who stayed because this sport was their life. "But if it's a yes, then you have to remember why you're doing this. I know the accident has placed a fear inside of you about the possibilities that could happen, but that's just it Charles. They're just possibilities. We never know what could happen. You got into Formula One knowing that there is always a risk every time you drive that car, but that risk is worth it if you're doing what you love. If it were up to me, I would've loved it if you had chosen a safer job like being a mechanic or something." I smiled when a chuckle left his lips and he placed his hands over my arms. "But this is what you chose and that's alright with me. We're all here for you."