Full Throttle of Fate

Chapter 1: A Kiss for Luck

Serena left the tarot shop with the words echoing in her mind. The idea seemed ludicrous, but she couldn't shake it.

She began to notice the number 55 everywhere—in the change she received at a coffee shop, on the back of a taxi, even in the address of a casting call she attended. It was as if the universe was nudging her toward something... or someone.

Serena's chance came sooner than she expected. She couldn't believe her luck when she landed a last-minute gig as a guest interviewer for a small sports network at the Miami Grand Prix.

It wasn't Hollywood, but it was an opportunity, and she was determined to make the most of it. When she arrived at the Formula 1 paddock, the energy was electric. The roar of engines, the smell of burning rubber, the sight of sleek machines ready to race - it was intoxicating.

As she made her way through the bustling paddock, her eyes were drawn to a particular car... a Williams with the number 55 emblazoned on its side. Her breath caught in her throat.

Was this the sign? Could this be the person the tarot reader had spoken of?

Her gaze shifted to the man standing beside the car, deep in conversation with his engineers. Severin Rossi.

Even without knowing much about F1, she recognized him immediately. He was the Spanish driver who had been with Ferrari, only to find himself in the backmarker team, Williams.

Is this the fall from grace Madame Esperanza had mentioned?

Severin was tall, standing at 6'2", with a muscular build that spoke of hours spent in the gym. His skin was tanned from years under the sun, and his features were distinctly Spanish—manly, strong, with a jawline that seemed chiseled from stone.

His deep brown eyes, warm yet intense, held a kindness that contrasted with the fierce determination in his posture.

He was undeniably handsome, the kind of man who turned heads wherever he went, and yet there was a weight to him, a sense of someone who had been through battles and was still fighting.

Serena's heart raced as she watched him. This was him. This had to be him.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Serena found herself moving toward Severin, her pulse quickening with every step. He looked up just as she reached him, his intense brown eyes meeting hers with a mix of curiosity and irritation.

"Can I help you, miss?" he asked, his voice edged with impatience, though there was an undertone of curiosity in his gaze.

For a moment, Serena froze. This was insane. But she had come this far, and there was no turning back now.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

She had never done anything this bold, but the tarot reading had been clear.

She had to take a leap, disrupt the status quo, just as The Fool and The Tower had suggested. And The Lovers... that card had been the key.

She needed to form a connection with this man, the one who had fallen from grace. The man who could change both of their destinies.

Before she could lose her nerve, she leaned in and kissed him.

The kiss was brief, but it was anything but simple. It carried all the desperation, the hope, and the belief that maybe, just maybe, this was the turning point she had been waiting for.

In that moment, all her doubts were silenced—this was what she was supposed to do.

Severin stiffened, his body reacting in surprise. He couldn't believe what was happening.