|Love 4 Apex| Lando Norris

🏎 36 - Returning to Familiar

The flight was unbearably heavy after Max's revelation. Lando's mind was in turmoil, replaying every recent moment with Magui. The weight of Max's words gnawed at him, twisting his thoughts and filling his head with relentless questions and doubts. How had he missed it?

He had barely set foot on the ground when the truth hit him, and without wasting a moment, he booked the next flight to Santarém. There was no time to go home or even catch his breath. The need to confront Magui weighed too heavily, filling him with a restless urgency that overpowered any exhaustion he felt. This conversation couldn't wait any longer.

When Lando reached Magui's door, he paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to say, but he knew he couldn't leave without answers. For a moment, he just stood there, his mind a whirlwind of questions and emotions he'd been trying to push down. And then, in the midst of his hesitation, a sudden thought hit him—what if she wasn't even home? Or worse—what if João was there with her? The idea twisted like a knife in his chest, his resolve wavering. But before he could overthink it, he steeled himself and knocked on the door, surrendering to whatever would come next.

Magui opened the door, surprise flashing across her face before softening into something unreadable. "Lando... I didn't expect you here."

"Can we talk?" Lando's voice was steady, but the tension in his tone was unmistakable. Magui hesitated, sensing the gravity of the moment, then nodded and stepped aside, letting him in.

Inside, an uneasy silence filled the room as they sat down. Lando's gaze drifted, his thoughts racing as he tried to find the right words. Finally, he looked directly at her, the hurt clear in his eyes.

"I've tried so hard to be there for you, Magui," he began quietly. "To support you, to understand what you've been dealing with. But then I hear about you and..." He paused, swallowing hard. "You and João."

Magui's face went pale, and she shifted uncomfortably. "Lando, it's not what you think. It... it's complicated."

"Complicated?" His voice tightened, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "I was away, racing, pouring everything into those final races, calling you whenever I could. I thought we were in this together. And then... you turned to him?"

Magui looked down, her shoulders slumping, her voice barely a whisper, laced with shame. "I felt alone, Lando. You were gone, and João... he was there. It wasn't something I planned."

"So that's it?" Lando's jaw clenched, his hurt turning to disbelief. "He was just there, and that's all it took?"

Magui's eyes filled with tears, her voice barely steady. "It wasn't just about him, Lando. It was everything piling up." She took a shaky breath, struggling to contain the surge of emotions that had been buried for too long. "The pills were messing with me, twisting my feelings. I was alone, dealing with everything in silence, while you were out there, living those highs, your wins, your podiums. Watching you celebrate... it felt like you had your world, your glory, and I was just... left here in the shadows. I felt so worthless, so... empty."

She looked away, her hands trembling. "I hated feeling that way, but I couldn't shake it. It made me question everything, even us. I know it doesn't excuse what I did, but... that's where I was."

The bitterness in her tone stung, and Lando took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I can't just stop my life, Magui," he replied, his voice rough with frustration and a trace of hurt. "People are counting on me to perform, to deliver. Racing—it's my career, my world. I know it seems like I'm living some dream, but it's pressure, too. Every day, every race, I'm fighting to hold onto this."

He looked down, running a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words. "I tried to be there for you. I thought the calls, the messages—they'd show you I was still with you, even if I couldn't physically be here. But putting everything on hold... it's not that simple, Magui. It's everything I've worked for. And I thought you understood that."