Full Throttle of Fate

Chapter 14: Avoiding Him

Serena had tried her best to stay busy after returning from Paris, throwing herself into work, hoping it would distract her from the growing tension she felt about Severin.

The unease gnawed at her, persistent and heavy, creating a barrier between them that felt far more imposing than mere physical distance. It was as if an invisible wall had risen, one she couldn't seem to break down.

Each time her phone buzzed with Severin's name, she hesitated, her heart torn between the desire to hear his voice and the fear of what she might say. The fear of opening up, of revealing how deeply she was affected by everything—how much she cared.

So she avoided him. Her replies to his messages were brief, clipped, devoid of the warmth she usually offered. When he called, she dodged, offering excuses that sounded thin even to her own ears.

She didn't know how to face him, how to navigate the confusion and hurt that had taken root in her heart.

For Severin, things had been far from easy. His racing results were steady—he'd even managed to secure some strong finishes, but something was off.

During one race, he'd found himself distracted in the middle of a corner, thinking about Serena's brief, distant messages. The car had drifted wide, narrowly avoiding the barriers. His team had noticed, his engineer's voice crackling through the radio with concern.

"Sev, what's going on out there? Your mind's not in it today."

Severin hadn't had an answer then, but he knew that whatever was going on with Serena was starting to affect him in ways he couldn't ignore. His times in practice sessions weren't as tight as they used to be, and he was making small, uncharacteristic mistakes.

The frustration was building, and after days of unanswered calls and vague texts, he couldn't take it anymore.

He booked the first flight to London and showed up at Serena's apartment unannounced, determined to get some answers.

Serena had just finished tidying up her living room when the doorbell rang. She wasn't expecting anyone, and the sight of Severin standing in her doorway, his expression a mix of concern and frustration, sent a jolt of surprise through her.

"Sev? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly as she stepped aside to let him in.

Severin didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked into the room, his eyes scanning the space as if searching for something, or maybe just trying to gather his thoughts. When he finally turned to face her, there was a tension in his posture that she hadn't seen before.

"I had to see you. Something's been off, and I need to know what's going on." he said, his voice low but firm.

Serena swallowed hard, her mind racing. She had been dreading this conversation, but now that it was here, she found herself at a loss for words.

"I... I don't know what you mean." she said, turning away from him and busying herself with the stack of papers on the table, trying to avoid the inevitable confrontation.

"Don't do that." Severin's voice was sharper now as he reached out and gently but firmly turned her to face him.

"Don't shut me out. I can tell something's wrong. You've been distant, avoiding me. What happened?"

Serena avoided his gaze, her eyes flicking to the floor as the memory of Ella's words burned in her mind. She didn't want to admit it, didn't want to give those words any more power than they already had. But under Severin's intense gaze, she knew she couldn't keep the truth hidden.

She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, biting her lip, the words refusing to come out.

"What do you mean? Nothing happened." Serena denied, her voice wavering as she tried to avoid his piercing stare.