leclerc legacy

Chapter 28 - Reaction

The roar of the crowd was still ringing in Camille's ears as she and Carlos made their way down from the podium, hand in hand. The Monaco Grand Prix had just concluded, and the air was thick with excitement and celebration. But for Camille, the victory felt even sweeter because of the ring now adorning her finger—the ring Carlos had just slipped on after his surprise proposal in front of thousands of fans.

As they stepped off the podium, Camille's heart was still racing, but not from the adrenaline of the race. She glanced down at the sparkling ring, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It was all so surreal—her first win in Monaco, and now, an engagement to the man she loved.

But as the realization began to sink in, so did a sense of anticipation. She knew she had to talk to Charles. Her brother had been standing just a few feet away during the proposal, and though she hadn't been able to gauge his reaction in the moment, she could only imagine what he must be feeling.

Carlos gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they walked, sensing her thoughts. "You should go talk to him," he said softly, nodding in the direction of the Ferrari garage where Charles had disappeared after the ceremony.

Camille nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I think I will. You go ahead. I'll meet you back at the paddock."

Carlos pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before heading off, leaving Camille to make her way to the garage where she knew her twin brother would be waiting. She found him exactly where she expected—sitting on a stack of tires, staring out at the emptying grandstands with a pensive expression.

"Hey," Camille said softly as she approached, her voice barely audible over the noise of the ongoing celebrations.

Charles turned his head slightly, acknowledging her presence without looking directly at her. "Hey."

Camille hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to start the conversation. "Can I sit?"

Charles gestured to the space beside him with a shrug. "It's a free garage."

Camille took a seat beside him, letting the silence hang between them for a few moments. She could feel the tension in the air, a mixture of emotions that neither of them seemed ready to address just yet.

After a few minutes, Charles finally broke the silence. "So... you and Carlos, huh?"

Camille bit her lip, trying to gauge his tone. "Yeah," she replied cautiously. "He proposed. I wasn't expecting it, especially not here, but... it felt right."

Charles nodded slowly, still staring out at the track. "I guess I should have seen it coming. You two have been close for a while now. I just... I don't know, Cami. I didn't think it would happen like this."

Camille reached over, placing a hand on his arm. "Charlie, I know this is a lot. And I know it's probably weird, considering you and Carlos are teammates. But this doesn't change anything between us. You're my brother, and you'll always be the most important person in my life."

Charles finally turned to look at her, his expression softening slightly. "I know that, Cami. It's just... weird, you know? Carlos is my teammate, my friend... and now he's going to be my brother-in-law. It's a lot to process."

Camille smiled, relieved that he was at least willing to talk about it. "I get that. But think about it—how cool is it that we're all going to be family? And hey, now you'll have someone else to gang up on me with when we're arguing."

Charles couldn't help but chuckle at that, shaking his head. "Oh, you think I'm going to team up with him against you? You underestimate me, sis. I've got years of experience dealing with your stubbornness. Carlos doesn't stand a chance."