Book 1 of Monte Carlo Series
Escaping her chaotic past, Katrina moves to Monaco to start a new life. With a single bag and a guitar, she sets on a brand new journey to reacquaint with herself and maybe find love along the way.
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Charles Hi love, we just landed. I can't wait to see you
Trina Drive safely Charles, can't wait to see you again.
Charles I miss you mon amour
Trina I miss you too mon bebe
Charles I'll talk to you later, we're leaving the airport now
Trina Okay, drive safely.
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"Stop walking in circles, Trina," Arthur laughed, watching her nervously pace back and forth.
"I can't stop," she replied, her anxiety getting the best of her.
"Why are you so nervous? It's just my brother," Arthur asked, his amusement evident.
"It's not just your brother; he's coming with the other drivers, too," Trina responded, feeling the weight of the situation.
"You've already talked to most of them. Why are you still so nervous?" Arthur asked, clearly amused.
"I can't explain it, Arthur. I'm just nervous right now," she admitted, her mind racing.
The thought of meeting Lewis again made her stomach churn with unease. She was sure he'd recognize her, and she couldn't shake the fear that he might tell Charles about her past.
As she was lost in her thoughts, the sound of a car arriving in the driveway broke her focus. Kimi volunteered to open the gates while Trina finished making her last preparations.
"You can do this, Katrina," she whispered to herself, trying to calm her nerves.
The door swung open, and Charles immediately rushed toward her, making the other drivers laugh.
"Why are you rushing, mon bébé?" Trina laughed as she embraced him.
"I missed you so much, Trina..." Charles murmured, holding her tightly.
They stayed in their embrace until someone cleared their throat.
"Yuki!" Trina exclaimed excitedly, pulling away from Charles and rushing toward the younger Japanese driver.
"Hi, Katrina. It's nice to finally meet you," Yuki said with a warm smile.
Charles went on to introduce Trina to the other drivers she hadn't met yet. When it came time for her to meet the seven-time world champion, her heart skipped a beat.
"...and this is Lewis, he drives with George at Mercedes. Lew, this is Katrina."
"Nice to meet you, Katrina," Lewis said, his gaze locking onto hers as he extended his hand. Trina could feel goosebumps prickling her skin as he emphasized her name.
"Ditto, it's nice to finally meet you, Lewis," Trina replied, her voice barely steady as she held his gaze.
"Mon amour, I'll leave you first. I need to go to the bathroom," Charles said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before walking away.
Trina was left alone with Lewis, and the other drivers were already chatting in the backyard.
"So... Katrina, huh? Does Charles know who you are?" Lewis asked, his tone unamused.
"Lewis..." Trina started, her heart pounding.
"I asked a question, Luna. Does he know who you are?" Lewis repeated, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Trina shook her head. "He doesn't know, Lew. I'm not ready to tell him yet. Please don't tell him."
"Why didn't you answer any of my messages and calls?" Lewis asked, his disappointment clear in his voice.
"I honestly don't have an answer to that, Lew. Everything was happening at once, I was a mess, I wasn't thinking straight for the first few weeks. I even came to Monaco on a whim. I haven't opened my account since I left. I wish I reached out sooner, but I couldn't..." Trina explained, the weight of her regrets heavy in her words.
"You know you could've come to me," Lewis said, the hurt still lingering in his voice.
"I know, Lew. You were like the older brother I never had, and I know that if I came to you, I would've been safe. I didn't reach out because I knew my fans would instantly connect the dots if I was seen with you. They know how close we are. I want to start a new life here, away from everything in Korea. You have no idea how good it felt when no one knew who I was."
Lewis sighed, his hand gently resting on her shoulder. "Did you at least get the peace you were looking for here?"
"I did, Lew..." Trina whispered, nodding.
"Are you ready for the attention? You're dating Charles now, and being with him will put you in the public eye again."
"Technically, we're not together yet," Trina replied, her voice quiet but determined. "But to answer your question, I'm scared of the attention. But I really like Charles, and I think I'm willing to risk my privacy again. Luna was the K-pop idol, but that's not me anymore. I'm just Katrina, a girl living in Monaco."
"This secret you're keeping isn't something that would faze Charles or any of the drivers here. They wouldn't be mad, and they'd definitely understand. You should tell them instead of them finding out from the news. You know how desperate people are to sell tabloids. They don't care about the truth," Lewis urged her.
"I am planning to tell them, Lew. I'll start with Charles, Sofia, and Max, and then I'll slowly let the others know too. But please, just let me do it on my own time."
"Okay, I promise. But you have to promise me that you won't cut me off anymore," Lewis said, looking at her intently.
"I promise, I'll never do that again," Trina assured him.
"Good. Now come here, give me a hug," he said, opening his arms.
Trina walked into his embrace, resting her head on his chest.
"I miss you, Lewlew," she whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"I miss you too, kid," Lewis replied, squeezing her tighter.
Their embrace didn't go unnoticed. Some of the drivers had caught sight of them from the window.
"Mon Dieu, I just left for a while and come back to see Lewis and my girl hugging. What's going on here?" Charles asked, confusion written all over his face.
Trina looked at him, then back at Lewis before sighing. She realized Lewis was right—Charles deserved to know the real her, the whole her.
"Bebe... remember the day after we met when I told you I had no idea about Formula One?" Trina began, her voice a little shaky. Charles nodded, still confused. "I lied," she admitted, watching his face flush as he stumbled a little bit.
She quickly caught his elbow and guided him to a nearby chair.
