A/N: The whole story has led to this plot twist, and it took me so long to write it out. I hope you guys like the twists and turns.
Charles twists and turns in his bed. Daniel's text haunts him.
Mister Smiley Face: You've got 'till Austin. Or Carlos and I tell him.
Every time he closes his eyes, he sees it again. He sees himself throwing the phone on the floor and thrashing his hotel room. He feels the anger and betrayal bubbling in his chest at Carlos's vile words.
"You can't do this to him, Charles!" Carlos followed him through the Singapore paddock after the race. Most people had left already, but Charles had wanted to go to Max one more time.
"Mate, I'm talking to you!" Charles halted in his step and rubbed his eyes before turning to Carlos.
"What do you want from me?!" He yelled in Italian.
"I want you to tell Max the truth about this ridiculous plan!"
"Max knows the truth, and it's that I love him! I really do!"
"Then why did you fake it in the first place?! If you love him, if you always loved him, then why agree with this plan?!"
"You wouldn't understand. Ferrari is Ferrari, Carlos! For fuck's sake, I'd do anything for them!"
"Even break up with your girlfriend and get into a fake relationship?!"
"It's not fake!"
"What did you do?"
Charles shudders at the memory. Daniel hearing all of that was not supposed to happen. Carlos shouldn't have confronted him in the middle of the paddock.
Charles turns on his side. Daniel probably won't be able to tell Max, as his seat will probably go to someone else. But Carlos... Charles is sure Carlos will actually tell Max. He hurt Carlos by involving him in this lie. He should've never let it come this far.
"Putain," Charles whispers, feeling the tears roll down his cheek onto the pillow.
- R17 Azerbaijan -
"What do you want to know?" Charles already knew what Max was going to ask him.
"Everything. Start with Alexandra." Max looked like a mess. Charles had never seen him this disheveled before. His heart burned at the realization it was because of him and that he was going to make it worse. He couldn't tell him. Not now. He had to lie again.
"Ferrari invited Alex. Obviously, Ferrari doesn't know about this, us. Only Andrea and Carlos know." It couldn't be worse from the truth. Everyone knew, and everyone enjoys seeing the Dutchman struggle. Charles bit his cheek, trying to refrain from blurting out the truth.
"Inside Red Bull, not many know either."
"Good," Charles's smile felt fake, but Max seemed to buy it. "Anyhow, since we went to the Taylor Swift concert, some of the press team thought we were back together, so they invited her as a VIP. She didn't have a room, so I let her stay in mine, and I stayed in Andrea's room. She was just returning Leo. She kept an eye on him during the race, and I asked her to do the same while I showered. That's when you knocked."
Alexandra cussing him out entered his mind, but he tried to push it back. If he believed it, maybe Max would believe it too. And by the hope dawning on Max's face, Charles knew he'd won this battle.
As they kissed on the bed, Max calling him sweet pet names again, Charles finally let the happiness in. He knew it couldn't last forever. Carlos knew, and he'd been on a warpath since. Yet, for this moment, Charles could pretend it was an everlasting love.
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If Clarity's in Death, Then Why Won't This Die?
Romance"Max doesn't know what to say. His eyes draw over every inch of Charles's face. His green eyes with brown specks, the sweat dripping down his face, his lips curled in a small smile... "If only you saw yourself the way all of us do. The way I do." Ma...
