The Enemy (Charles Leclerc)

Chapter Five- Breaking Point

'What the hell is all this about?' Nadia, my media co ordinator shouted, shutting the office door behind her. She had clearly heard about the press conference

'I have no idea what all of this is.' I lied. The first rule of being a Monroe is being a graduate in denial.

'For us to sort this out I need to know what is going on. I need the truth Vivian.' Nadia sighs sitting across from. 'For me to make this go away, I need know from start to finish.'

'Like I told the press, it's not me in those photos.' I continue lying.

Nadia's phone rang. 'Nadia.' She said coldly followed by a bunch of yeses and ended with 'let them in.' My posture improved its self after that sentence.

'I don't want to get Andrea involved so you left me with no other choice.' Nadia stares at me. She can be very scary at times.

3 knocks could be heared at the door followed by Nadia shouting 'come in.' I turned my head to see a man in a red Ferrari uniform and behind him stood Charles, looking rather sheepish.

'We haven't met. I'm Luca, Charles social media manager.' He extends his hand for me to shake. 'Let's make this quick and easy for you. Charles has told us everything.'

'Please share with us Luca, as Vivian is clearly denying the allegations.' Nadia offered Luca and Charles a seat. Charles looked at me with a look in his eyes I had never seen before, it looked like guilt.

'Charles had informed me that it would appear that Miss Monroe and himself have been blackmailed by an anonymous person. Charles had re assured me that he doesn't have any idea who this person could be.' Luca shares with the room.

'Is this true?' Nadia stares at me and I just nod. 'And why did neither of you 2 raise this issue with us?'

'It was harmless at first and then it was obvious that this person has something against us.' I answered before Charles could comment. 'This was a personal issue not a team matter.'

'It becomes a team mater when you two have been sleeping together.' Luca added, I glanced over to Charles who couldn't even look at me right now. 'This is strictly forbidden. And I cannot stress this enough, you shouldn't be fraternising with the enemies.'

'We aren't enemies, we are friends.' Charles spoke for the first time. I look in his direction but he couldn't even look at me. He knew he was to blame.

'I think it will be for the interest of both teams if you 2 where not have much contact. The media seems to be eating this story up.' Nadia continues the debate. 'And the issue with the anonymous -'

'X' Charles and I say at the same time.

'The issue with X, has the police been made aware.' Nadia asks and we both nod at the same time.

'Has Andrea been made aware of this situation?' Luca asks

Nadia shakes her head, ' I am sure he will do but at this moment I have decided to deal with this issue.'

'I will be making Fred aware of this.' Luca comments.

'So, Charles and Vivian. The photos?' Nadia asks

I go to answers but Charles beats me to it. 'It is us. It was all my fault. I star-'

'That's all I needed to know.' She plasters a fake smile on her face. 'You two need to stay away from eachother, if this was to continue this could get out of hands and it could messy for all of this. Luca will agree me on this. Stay out of each-others way, especially off the track. I don't want any thing like this brought to my attention again. Is that understood?'

I nod my head. 'But we are friends?' Charles interrupts my nodding.

'But you can't be. It's not good for neither teams. It's two dangerous.' Luca answers the statement.

'So how do we make this go away?' I ask just wanting to get this meeting over with.

'You've just been told that we can't see eachother anymore and all you care about is making this go away?' Charles snaps. For the first time in the past 10 minutes he finally has the nerve to look at me. 'Wow.'

'I have worked my arse off to get this seat, I'll be damned if I am going to let someone like you ruin this for me!' I snap back. I felt something snap inside of me.

'Someone like me? What in hell is that supposed to mean?' I stares at me coldly.

'You know exactly what I mean. You caused all this. You made the first move. Everything that has happened to me started in that stupid taxi, which I didn't even want to get in. I have spent everything last penny trying to make my dream become my reality. I have so much I want to do. So I am making the last move Charles. The game is over. Thanks for being there but it's done. I won't loose my seat just because you want to be my fucking friend.'

'We'll forgive me for trying to be your friend. You need friends in this industry or it gets lonely. I am sorry I felt sorry for you and tried to be your friend.' Charles remarks, 'I guess you also going to blame me for the failure of your engagement. Well good luck Vivian because I can accept being blamed for making the first move but I won't accept being blamed for the downfall of your engagement when I didn't even know you was fucking engaged. You must of forgot to mention that fucking part.'

'I already told you it was a drunken mistake and it shouldn't have happened but you can't seem to forget that.' I was seeing red and it wasn't just the Ferrari uniform.

'A drunken mistake made twice.' Charles laughs.

'It meant nothing, I was clearly desperate and obviously feeling lonely.' I said coldly. 'Why else would I sleep with you when I've heard about your reputation?'

'Maybe the truth about you is finally coming out.' Charles starts. 'Maybe everyone was right with what they were saying. Maybe X is right. Only I know the answer and this is that you are a slut. Who's next? Lando. Oh I know, Carlos, he talks so highly of you. If only he knew.'

His words burnt my ears. My skin had prickled and switch had flicked inside me, a switch I didn't know I had. I had never felt this angry before. I didn't feel this angry when my dad left and didn't feel this angry when my mum died. Charles words cut me deep, deeper than any word could have hit. In that moment, the feeling I thought I had for Charles were just thoughts. They weren't real and they clearly were not mutual.

'Fuck you Charles.' I spat, tears forming in my eyes. 'I wish I never met you.'

From this moment forward, I was focused on 3 things only.

•destroying X
• destroying Charles
• Winning

Fuck everything and everyone else.