❥𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆

Chapter 70

Saturday

Narrator

Charles got out of the car after a frustrating qualifying. P4 wasn't as horrible as he imagined, but he wished for a better result. The incoming rain really messed up his laps in the end.

He went over to pad his teammate on the shoulder for a solid P5 and then strolled straight into his drivers room.
He had to get the sweat and car smell off.
Since he wouldn't attend to a press conference that day, considering he obviously wasn't in the top three, Charles could take some time to relax before following the rest of his schedule for the day.

It was only seconds that passed under the shower as his thoughts raced inside his head again.
The warm water touching his skin felt like nails hammered into his back.

He saw the press pictures.
He saw the Instagram post Valerie published.
He saw her. With him.
He tried to not care.

And he failed miserably.

The bright smile on her face that she showed in the picture was printed into his memory. And Charles could do absolutely nothing about it.

He felt powerless.
How could she move on?
After so little time...

The smile should be adressed to him, not Raphael.

Charles got out of the shower quickly before he could waste his thoughts much more.
He put on clean clothes and settled down into the comfortable couch next to the window.
From his drivers room, he had an excellent view on the track.

He was lost within race analyses when the phone inside his pocket buzzed.

»Maman, ça va?«

Charles' voice lit up when his mother called.
She asked about his session and apologized for not making it to England this weekend.

Charles told her in French that she shouldn't worry and that he was doing okay so far.
Then, Pascale asked for how much longer the personal security will be accompanying her.

Charles sighed.

»S'il te plaît, Maman, la sécurité n'est là que pour votre sécurité. Je ne veux pas que quelque chose t'arrive. Ne t'inquiète pas.«
[Please, Maman, the security is only there to keep you safe. I don't want anything happen to you. Don't worry about that.]

He reassured his mother over the phone with a heavy heart.
He couldn't tell her the real reason why guards were with her most of the day.
He couldn't tell her that someone threatened her life.

»Je rentrerai à la maison après la course, d'accord?«
[I will come home after the race, okay?], he informed her, changing the subject. 

»Oui, okay. À plus, Maman. Je t'aime beaucoup.«

The sound of the phone hanging up was like bullets into Charles' chest.

He lived in constant fear for his family well-being.

His thoughts didn't even began to wonder again, because Andrea suddenly opened the door to his room.

He informed Charles in Italian that they were up to do some cardio now.

»Okay.«, Charles simply said, but not moving from of his spot.
He kept thinking for another second.

»But I gotta do something first.«
He passed his personal trainer and headed down the hall in a rush.