Online Rivals, Offline Lovers

Chapter 23 - Turning the tide

Author's note: Sorry this took me this long. I love you all. 

[Lex's Pov]

The next morning, the sun crept through the thick curtains of my room, but its warmth did nothing to ease the chill in my bones. I knew I was supposed to feel rested, but all I felt was a tight knot in my stomach. Today was the day I had to sign the contract, and every step I took toward the breakfast table felt like I was walking to the gallows.

I couldn't stop thinking about what this would mean. If I signed, my face would be plastered on two garages at the next race. I pictured it in my mind—my name above two competing teams—or worse, Red Bull might call Checo back in. They might as well pretend I never existed. The thought made me want to vomit. It was hard to say which scenario would be more humiliating.

My father was already seated when I entered the dining room. He was dressed impeccably as always, his cold eyes scanning the papers in front of him. He didn't even look up when I sat down. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched him slide the contract across the table toward me. The air was thick with tension, and I could barely breathe as I picked up the pen.

Every fiber of my being screamed not to do it, but I knew I didn't have a choice. If I didn't sign, things would only get worse. As my hand hovered over the line, a thought crossed my mind—something I had learned long ago. I quickly added a small "u d" in cursive right at the end, hoping it would pass unnoticed. It stood for "under duress." It was a small act of rebellion, one that *just* might go unnoticed by my father, but it gave me the slightest sense of control.

My father leaned forward to pull the contract back towards him, but before he could examine it too closely, the door swung open, and one of his assistants entered the room. "The car is ready to take you to the garage for the photoshoot, sir," he said, his voice steady and professional.

I jumped up from my chair, forcing a bright, fake smile onto my face. "Great! I can't wait," I said, trying to inject as much enthusiasm as possible into my voice. 

My father didn't say a word, but he quickly tucked the contract away, not giving it a second glance. My plan had worked - partly. 

In the car, the rumble of my stomach echoed embarrassingly in the quiet space. I hadn't eaten anything this morning, too nervous to force anything down. "Sorry," I mumbled, glancing at my father from the corner of my eye.

His glare was icy, cutting through me like a knife. "You shouldn't be hungry," he snapped, his voice low and venomous. "You've been sneaking pudding at night, haven't you? With all that extra body fat, you could survive without food for quite some time."

I bit my bottom lip hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. The sting of his words settled into my chest, but I couldn't let it break me. I chanted silently in my head, "Only two more days. Only two more days." It was the only thing keeping me together, the only thing preventing me from falling apart completely.

When we finally arrived at the garage, I stepped out of the car, trying to keep my face neutral. But the sight that greeted me nearly made my heart stop. The team was there, all eyes on me, and they were expecting me to change right in front of them... My phone... It was still tucked into my bra, and there was no way they wouldn't see it if I had to strip down in front of everyone.

Panic started to claw at me, tightening around my throat. I knew I had to think fast, but my mind was racing, offering no solutions. Without thinking, tears welled up in my eyes, and I bit down on my lip again, this time hard enough to draw blood. "Please... Can I have some privacy?" I choked out, my voice trembling as I looked up at my father, hoping to appear as desperate as I felt.