Heart Engineer | Max Verstappen

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑇𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒

Dahlia sat at her desk, her phone buzzing insistently next to her. She glanced down at it, a knot forming in her stomach as she saw another message from the same unknown number. This time, however, the message was clear:

"Think it over, we're waiting."

She scowled, tossing the phone aside. Silence was a response, wasn't it? Dahlia had decided the moment she received the offer from the rival team that she wouldn't engage. Not only was she fiercely loyal to Red Bull, but she had no intention of letting anyone toy with her career. The audacity of the rival team to think they could just throw a contract at her and she'd jump ship was insulting.

Still, the unease lingered. How had they gotten her personal number in the first place? And why were they so persistent?

Deciding to push the thought out of her mind, Dahlia focused on her work for the upcoming race weekend. The paddock was already buzzing with excitement, as teams were preparing strategies and debriefs. She was deeply immersed in the data when the first ripple hit the media.

It started small—a comment by a rival team's principal during an interview. Dahlia hadn't paid much attention at first, but as the day wore on, the whispers grew louder. Someone had asked about the team's future plans, and the principal had casually mentioned something that caught everyone's attention.

"Well, we've been looking into making some adjustments to our technical staff, and Dahlia could surely be a part of that. Nothing is confirmed, of course, but never say never in Formula 1."

The media seized on it immediately. Headlines flashed across screens, rumors spread like wildfire, and by the time Dahlia realized what was happening, it was too late to control the narrative.

"What the hell is going on, Dahlia?" Christian Horner's voice was sharp as he strode into the Red Bull engineering office later that afternoon. His eyes were steely, and Dahlia could feel the weight of his concern—and, worse, suspicion.

She looked up from her laptop, her jaw tightening. "Christian, I didn't—"

"I need you to explain this. Now," he interrupted, crossing his arms. "The media is all over this rumour that you're in talks with another team, and it's making us look like we're about to lose one of our key engineers. How did this even start?"

Dahlia stood up, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "It's bullshit! They contacted me out of the blue, offered some vague deal, and I didn't even respond. I didn't give them a single word, Christian. I thought my silence made it clear that I wasn't interested."

Christian exhaled sharply, still looking unconvinced. "Then why would their principal say something like that? Why put you in the spotlight like this?"

"Because they're trying to stir the pot!" Dahlia snapped, her anger flaring now. "They're fabricating this whole thing to mess with us, to cause tension in the team, and to put pressure on me. I wouldn't leave Red Bull, and they know it, but they're playing a dirty game."

Christian studied her momentarily, his expression softening slightly, though the concern remained. "You should've told me about this, Dahlia."

She sighed, her voice quieter now. "I didn't think it was worth mentioning. I figured ignoring them would make them go away."

Christian's shoulders relaxed just a fraction, and he ran a hand through his hair. "I believe you. But we need to get ahead of this. The last thing we need is the media stirring more trouble. Let's handle this carefully."

Dahlia nodded, relieved that he trusted her, but still frustrated by the situation. "Yeah, let's fix this."

The next day, Max Verstappen sat at the center of the press conference table, his arms crossed, looking bored as he fielded the usual questions about strategy, performance, and the upcoming race. But then, one of the reporters, a familiar face, leaned forward with a knowing smirk.

"Max, there's been some gossip around your team recently. Apparently, there's talk of Dahlia potentially moving to a rival team. Care to comment on that?"

Max's expression hardened immediately, his blue eyes flashing with something almost dangerous. He sat up straighter, his usual laid-back demeanor vanishing in an instant. There was a beat of silence as he considered his response, and the reporters waited, sensing they'd hit a nerve.

"That's not happening," Max said firmly, his voice colder than usual. "Dahlia's part of this team. She's one of the most adequate engineers in the paddock, and we need her here at Red Bull. I don't know where these rumors are coming from, but I can tell you now—neither the team nor I will, let her go."

The room fell quiet for a moment, surprised by the intensity in Max's response. There was something almost possessive in the way he spoke, and it was clear that he wasn't just defending Dahlia's role as a race engineer—he was making a statement. She was integral to the success of the team, and anyone trying to pry her away would face an uphill battle.

Another reporter chimed in, trying to push further. "So you're saying there's no chance she'd be leaving, even if a rival team offers her a better contract?"

Max's gaze sharpened. "No chance," he repeated. "Dahlia and I have a good working relationship, and we've won together. That's all that matters."

His words echoed in the room, and it became clear to everyone that the subject was closed. Max wouldn't entertain the idea of losing her, and from the look on his face, he wasn't going to let anyone else suggest otherwise.

Back at the Red Bull garage, Dahlia watched the press conference replay on her laptop, her heart pounding as she listened to Max's response. She hadn't expected him to speak so strongly, especially considering the tension between them lately. But hearing him defend her so openly, so fiercely, caught her off guard.

Maybe things between them weren't as fractured as she thought.