Mind the Gap

Chapter 34

landonorris: 🇪🇸🥹

Lando's POV: 

I've been staying in Ana's apartment for two days now, ever since I got back from Monza. It feels strange being here without her—like I'm occupying a space that's meant to be shared, not lived in alone. I've been keeping myself busy, waiting for her return, but the longer I wait, the heavier the tension feels. I know what's coming. We need to talk about the photos from that night in Monza—those damned photos of Savi and me.

I tried explaining through texts, but Ana's replies have been distant. She asked me to wait until she got home to talk, and I've respected that. But now, as I hear the key turn in the lock, my chest tightens.

The door opens, and Ana walks in. She looks exhausted—probably from the trip, but there's more to it. I can tell. She drops her bag near the door, her movements deliberate and slow. Her eyes find mine, and I see the tension between us hanging in the air.

"Hey," I say, stepping toward her cautiously. "You made it."

She doesn't respond right away, just walks past me into the living room. There's no hug, no warmth. Just silence. She takes off her jacket and places it over the back of the couch before finally turning to face me.

"We need to talk," she says, her voice steady but distant.

"I know," I answer, already bracing myself for what's to come. I've been thinking about how to approach this for days, but now that she's here, every planned word seems useless.

Ana sits down on the edge of the couch, and I take a seat across from her, leaving space between us that feels like a canyon.

"I saw the pictures, Lando," she starts, her eyes not meeting mine. "Mia sent them to me. I didn't want to jump to conclusions, but seeing them... it's hard not to."

"I swear, it wasn't what it looked like," I say quickly, my voice filled with urgency. "Savi just showed up at the party. I didn't invite her, and I had no idea she was going to be there."

Ana lets out a deep sigh, her hands resting on her lap. Finally, she looks at me, frustration evident in her eyes. "It wasn't just her being there, Lando. It's the fact that I had to find out through the internet. Do you know how that made me feel? Like I was being blindsided by the whole thing. Mia had to send me the pictures before you even mentioned anything to me."

I feel the weight of her words hit me like a ton of bricks. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out at first. "Ana, I didn't want to stress you out while you were in Turkey. I thought I had dealt with it."

"Well, you didn't deal with it, because now I'm left here feeling like I'm in the dark," she snaps back, her frustration rising. "It's not just about Savi showing up—it's about you not telling me. I had to learn through photos that she was clinging onto you like that."

"I didn't want to make it a bigger deal than it was," I explain, feeling my heart race as I try to make sense of the situation. "It didn't mean anything to me. I walked away."

"But you didn't walk away soon enough," Ana retorts, her voice sharp. "And the fact that you didn't think I needed to know... it's like you decided for me that this wasn't important."

I run a hand through my hair, the guilt weighing heavier now. "I should've told you. I didn't think..."

"That's the problem," she interrupts, her voice shaking slightly. "You didn't think. You didn't think about how I would feel finding out like this. You didn't think that maybe, just maybe, I should've heard it from you first."

I can hear the hurt in her voice, and it tears me up inside. "You're right," I say, softer now. "I should've been upfront with you. I wasn't trying to hide anything. I just didn't want to cause more stress."

Ana leans back, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Lando, it's not about whether or not Savi means something to you—it's about how this situation made me and us look, how it made me feel. I'm here trying to keep my professional life intact, and now I'm caught up in this mess because I'm dating someone so publicly. People at my meetings were whispering behind my back. Do you know what that does to my reputation? It makes me feel like someone has something on me, like I've lost control."

Her words hit me hard. I never considered how this would affect her work. She's always been so strong, so composed, and now I see the toll this is taking on her.

"I didn't realize...," I start, but Ana cuts me off.

"Of course, you didn't realize. Because you didn't tell me. You made decisions without me, Lando. And now I'm the one dealing with the fallout–being questioned in the public whether our relationship was true or for just PR, or I'm a rebound kinda woman. I don't even care about the comments but damn Lando, they actually hurt."

"Fuck–no, of course not. You're not a rebound, Ana, please." 

She stands up, pacing the room. "You sent me that cheeky text about the bikini, and the whole time Savi was there? It makes it look like I'm the one being played. And I feel stupid for not knowing."

"I wasn't with her when I sent that text, Ana. I swear," I try to explain, but the words feel hollow. "I was with the guys when I sent it. I saw Charles and Alex having a cute moment and–"

"But she was still there," Ana shoots back, her frustration spilling over. "It doesn't matter when you sent it—what matters is you didn't tell me she was there in the first place. It makes me feel like I'm being dragged into some petty drama that I have no control over."

I stand up now, crossing the distance between us. "Ana, I'm sorry. I didn't handle it right. I never wanted you to feel like this."

She stops pacing and looks at me, her eyes filled with a mix of hurt and anger. "This isn't just about handling it wrong, Lando. This is about trust. If we're going to be in this together, I need to know that you'll be honest with me—even if it's uncomfortable. Especially if it's uncomfortable."

"I know," I whisper, feeling the weight of her words sink in. "You're right. I should've told you from the start."

Ana doesn't respond right away. She just looks at me, as if trying to decide what to say next. Finally, she shakes her head. "I need space, Lando. I can't... I just need time to think."

"Ana, please." My voice cracks.

And with that, she grabs her jacket and bag, walking out the door without another word.

As the door clicks shut behind her, I stand there, feeling the weight of everything crashing down.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck.

I messed up. Big time. Now all I can do is hope I haven't messed up enough to lose her.