Fifty Shades Of Red | Charles Leclerc

11. Complicated

Hailey's pov

I walk out of the office, slamming the door on my way out just like Charles did. Christian calls my name from behind me several times but I don't stop and turn around. I don't think I can listen to what more he has to say. I've heard enough already.

'You and Charles are going to commit to a pr relationship.' Is what they said.

My thoughts are all over the place, my entire body is overwhelmed. I run one of my hands through my hair anxiously, trying to slow my breathing down.

'It will be good for both of our cases.' they said.

It's not how I see it. It won't do any good for me. If anything, it will do me even more damage. Throwing me into the lion's den? This is the least thing I needed right now.

'It won't last long, just until we can shut these rumours down'.

My legs won't stop walking further away from the Ferrari motorhome. Having to see Charles almost every day it's torture, having to act like we're friends in front of the cameras it's nearly impossible, how am I supposed to pretend to like this guy? Or even love him enough to be in a relationship with him?

'I know you aren't so found of this idea but there is only one way out of it...'

Christian might have not said it, but I know what he meant. Either agree to fake date with the devil or leave Formula One for good. If only it were that easy and if only I wasn't sacrificing myself and my future for it.

The entire thing feels so unreal, and if it wasn't for the paper I'm holding in my hand that comfirms it, I would probably feel like I imagined the entire thing. I skimmed through the paper quickly, not reading too much of it in detail, but there's a set of rules in it which we supposedly have to follow if we agree to it. At the end of it, there's a blank space where my signature has to go.

How am I going to survive this?

                               ——————

Max's pov

I'm walking around the paddock, lost into thoughts when I bump into her.

"Hailey." I say and she looks up to look at me.

"Max." She says and I can hear it in her voice that she's not doing okay. Her eyes are a bit red and she looks lost, like she's not paying attention to anything that's going on around her right now.

I duck down to reach for a paper that fell out of her hands.

"What's this?" I say, beginning to read it but Hailey practically snatches it away from my hands.

"Don't worry about it." She says, folding the paper and putting it inside of her pocket.

"Are you alright?" I ask concerned even though it's a stupid question. She's clearly exhausted.

She doesn't reply at first and just lets out a long sigh.

"It's just been a very long day." Hailey forces a reassuring smile on her face, trying to make me see that she's 'alright' when she's clearly not.

I don't like when she does that. I don't like it when she hides her feelings from me. I want to help her but I can't if she won't let me.

"Was Christian that harsh on you?" I reach for her arm, slowly stroking it to comfort her.

I'm dying to ask about what they talked about, about why Charles was in her private room but it doesn't seem like the right time to do that. I don't want to make her feel worse.