Intertwined | Charles Leclerc

CHAPTER 22

Charles POV

"Dear Charles,

I'm done with this relationship. I'm putting this to an end, the end of us.
I need to be alone and away from you. Away from all of this.
This isn't what I want anymore.
Please do not come looking for me, do not contact me. I'm going somewhere you'll never find me.
You will not see me again, this is goodbye.

Nova."

I'm frozen to the spot, my mouth hangs open as I read the letter over and over, trying to make the words on the paper change. This isn't real, this isn't happening. All the noise from outside my room fades as my ears start to ring, I can hear my heart beating louder and louder like it's being ripped from my chest. My eyes sting as the tears involuntary fall and land on the paper still in my shaking hands. 

I'm jolted back into the world by a hand grabbing my shoulder, all the noise flooding back to a point where it's deafening. "Mate, you okay?" Carlos asks me. I can't get the words out, I turn and hand him the note, the confusion and worry is written on his face as he takes the paper from my hands. Before he has a chance to read it he catches me before I hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. "Woah, what's going on?" He practically carries me to the chair before my legs give out again. "She's... gone?" I manage to stutter. His eyes dart across the paper, his brows furrowed as he reads. "No? No this can't be? I thought you were happy?" I thought so too. "I don't know. I just got back, it was here on the table." I've stopped fighting the tears as I can't hold them back any more. "Call her!" Carlos practically shouts. "She doesn't want me to! She's gone. She isn't coming back, you've read it yourself! I don't know what I've done wrong. But she's fucking GONE!" I scream back at him. I know he's not the one I should be shouting at but I can't help it.

The shouting has attracted the attention of Eddie, he appears in the doorway, his shoulder almost touching both sides. "Mr Leclerc, is everything okay?" He asks with concern. "Does everything fucking look okay? Why did you let her go?" "I'm sorry I'm not sure what you're talking about?" Bullshit. His eyes are on her 24/7 how does he not know. "Nova. She's gone and you let her leave me a note as a goodbye?" I'm practically spitting at him across the room. "She was right outside waiting for you. She said she didn't want to miss you getting back and asked me to put the note inside?" "Well considering I'm in here and she's not, I think she missed me getting back." Before he can respond he's bolted back into the hospitality. Something isn't right, he doesn't know she's gone.

Carlos and I run after him, the commotion has practically silenced the room and the front doors fly open. Jason had been with me today and followed me back, they're both frantically searching the paddock outside of the Ferrari hospitality. I grab my phone from my pocket and try to call her. "Hi, it's Nova! You've reached my voicemail! I'm a bit busy right now so leave a message and I'll call you back!" Fuck.

"I need to read the letter." Jason storms up to me and Carlos hands it to him. I can't read it again. I can't understand it, things were good with us. Why would she leave without talking to me? He scans the paper and hands it to Eddie who does the same. "Call security and I'll call the police." He says so matter of fact. "Wait what the fucks going on?" The police? "There's something not right about this. She was waiting for you. I don't think she's left of her own accord." Shit.

It takes no time at all before what feels like all of the site security and about 20 police officers arrive. The hospitality has been cleared of all guests and it's only staff who are left but everyone is sat in near silence, no one dares to speak. The police take statements from everyone she's interacted with today, I gave mine first and told them everything I knew. It wasn't a lot.

I don't know how long I've been sat here, it feels like hours. "We've reviewed the security footage, she didn't leave alone. Your security has identified this man as Bradley Hudson. It appears that he forced her to leave with him." Fuck. "Where has he taken her? Surely there's something?" I'm pleading for my life, she is my life. "We're working on it, they got into a car and there was other occupants. We're working our hardest to find her, I've got teams all over the city searching." "This is so fucked up." "Sir, it would be best that you return to your hotel and wait for an update. We will have officers stationed at your door for your safety." Is he fucking serious? I just have to wait around. I want to be out there looking for her, bringing her home to me where she belongs. "I want to help." "With all due respect sir, your safety is our concern. I have the best of the best on this, we will find her." He rests his hand on my shoulder and leaves to join a group of officers in the distance.

4 hours. 4 hours I've been sat in this fucking hotel room, it's suffocating. I've heard nothing, no fucking update like I was promised. I must have called her phone a thousand times just praying that the next time she picks up but I just keep getting the same voicemail.

A knocking on the door wakes me, I must have drifted off. My clothes feel sticky, I haven't changed since last night. The sun beams in through the open curtains I never closed. "Come in." I can't bring myself to get out of the chair I fell asleep in. "I brought you some coffee." Carlos hands me a hot mug, the sips burns my dry lips. "You look like shit mate, you need to take a shower." He was always one to tell me just how it is. I nod at him, "I feel like shit. Have you heard anything?" He's right I do need a shower. "Not much, they tracked the car down and checked it out but there's still no sign of her. I'm so sorry." This can't be real, where the fuck is she.