Risking it all (Lando Norris)

Chapter 56

Lando

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over our bedroom as I slowly woke up. I felt Lily's warmth beside me, her body still curled up in sleep. 

For a moment, I just lay there, watching her breathe, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness as I thought about what today would bring.

It was the day we both knew was coming—the day she would officially decide to step down as my personal assistant. 

It wasn't a surprise; we'd talked about it endlessly over the past few days. But now that it was actually happening, the reality of it hit me harder than I expected.

I didn't want her to go. I didn't want to lose the person who had been by my side through everything, who had managed the chaos of my life with such grace and efficiency. 

But more than that, I didn't want to lose the closeness we had built while working together. Having her with me every day, both professionally and personally, had been something special. And I knew that things were about to change.

But I also knew that this was what she wanted, what she needed. The opportunities that lay ahead of her were too big to ignore, and I couldn't stand in the way of her dreams. I wanted her to be happy, even if it meant that our working relationship would come to an end.

With a deep breath, I gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, causing her to stir slightly. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at me with a sleepy smile. "Morning," she murmured, her voice still laced with sleep.

"Morning, love," I replied, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well," she said, stretching her arms above her head. "You?"

"I slept okay," I said, though my mind had been racing all night. "Are you ready for today?"

Lily's smile faltered slightly, and I could see the hesitation in her eyes. "I think so," she said softly. "But it's going to be strange, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it will be," I admitted, feeling a pang of sadness. "But we'll get through it. Together."

We got up and ready, then made our way downstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast. I made us some spring rolls that I knew Lily also liked. We ate and talked about today, knowing that It won't be easy.

After breakfast, we got ready for the day, the atmosphere between us tinged with a mix of anticipation and melancholy. As we headed out to the car, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was the beginning of a new chapter for both of us—one that I wasn't quite ready for.

"You ready to go?" asked Lily. To be honest I wasn't. I don't want our working relationship to end. The part that made me uncomfortable is that I will get a new PA. It will probably be a woman and I don't like that.

"Yeah, let's go," was all I could get out of me. We took our things and walked out to the car. I opened the door for Lily which resulted in her kissing my cheek. It made me calm down really fast.

The drive to the McLaren Technology Centre was quieter than usual. We often spent our mornings chatting about anything and everything, but today, the conversation was sparse. Instead, we held hands across the centre console, drawing comfort from the simple act of being close.

Lily stared out the window, lost in her thoughts, and I could tell that she was processing everything. I wanted to say something, to reassure her that everything would be okay, but I didn't want to break the fragile silence that had settled between us. Sometimes, words weren't necessary.