Eyes Don't Lie | Charles Leclerc

Part 51 | Adore You🔥

❗Warning : This chapter will contain some sexual content. It's marked for those who want to skip that part.

July 14, 2023
Aria POV

I leaned closer to the mirror, applying the final touches of my makeup. My hands were steady now, but I could still remember the shakiness that followed me in those first few days back in Monaco. It's strange how much can change in just two weeks, how I'd gone from feeling like a shattered, empty shell to finding small pieces of myself again. And so much of that was thanks to Charles.

He wouldn't tell me a single thing about our plans tonight, no matter how much I annoyed him. And honestly, seeing him so eager and excited made my heart swell. I caught glimpses of that boyish grin he'd get when he thought I wasn't looking, and it reminded me of the Charles I fell in love with in the first place, before everything became so dark and heavy.

My mind wandered back to the warehouse. I had been so numb and everything felt like a blur. I had told myself I needed to be strong, but the reality was, I was scared out of my mind. My father, for all his faults and flaws, had still been my father. Seeing him die that way, hearing the sound of the gunshot, it was something that I knew would stay with me forever.

Charles was there through all of it. He held me when the nightmares woke me up, even when I tried to convince him I didn't want to be a burden. He'd brush a strand of hair away from my face and remind me, so softly, that I wasn't alone. That he was here, and he wasn't going anywhere.

I remembered how difficult it was to open up to him, to tell him everything that was haunting me. I hadn't realized how much I had kept bottled up inside. It took me four days to find the words to describe how broken I felt, how guilty I was for even feeling relief when my father was gone. Charles never judged me, never tried to give me empty reassurances. He just listened, his arms wrapped around me, as if holding me together when I felt like falling apart.

And now, here I was, preparing for a surprise date he had meticulously planned. It was surreal, going from that overwhelming chaos to this quiet, gentle happiness. It wasn't easy, and I knew I still had a long way to go. The pain didn't vanish overnight, and some mornings, I still woke up with that ache in my chest. But tonight, I wanted to focus on the good, the love in Charles's eyes when he looked at me, the way his fingers gently brushed against mine when he thought I needed a reminder that he was there.

I looked at my reflection one last time, smoothing out the fabric of my dress. I caught Charles's eyes in the mirror, watching me with that soft, adoring expression that made me feel like I was the only person in the world. And for a moment, the pain faded into the background, replaced by the hope.

"Ready, ma belle?" he asked, slipping his hands around my waist.

I nodded, leaning into him, letting myself savor this peaceful moment with him. "Yeah, I'm ready." And for the first time in days, I realized that I really meant it.

Charles and I stepped outside the hotel, hand in hand, as we walked toward his car waiting for us. The second we crossed the doors of the hotel, a wave of excited energy hit me, hundreds of tifosi were gathered outside the barriers, yelling for Charles. The sea of red and the flags with the Ferrari horse filled the area, each person hoping to catch a photo or autograph of Charles.

He paused for a second, squeezing my hand as he turned to smile at the crowd, lifting a hand to wave at them. Shouts of his name filled the air, and even though I knew this was just another race weekend, to the tifosi, it was everything. And to me, it was something else entirely.

I couldn't help but smile as I watched him interact with the fans, taking a moment to sign a few autographs and share a quick smile with those at the front. It never ceased to amaze me, how much they adored him. He had this way of connecting with people that was so genuine, so sincere. It made my heart swell with pride, knowing how much he meant to them and how loved he was...especially here, in Italy, where Ferrari was more than just a team, it was a religion.