Tangled in trophies....or tangled in each other?
Evangeline Vittori, tennis prodigy and five-time Grand Slam champion, is adored by those closest to her and misunderstood by the world. After her mother's death, her father's ambition drove her to hei...
The airport lounge was quiet, save for the low hum of conversations around Lando as he sank back in his seat, phone in hand as he waited patiently for his flight back to Monaco after a long week of interviews and corporate blab in London. He was flipping through news sites absentmindedly when a familiar name caught his attention, flashing bold across an F1 scandal page: "F1 Star Lando Norris Spotted with Tennis Pro Evangeline Vittori: What's Brewing?"
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"Great..." he muttered under his breath, opening the article. There it was—a picture of him and Evangeline, mid-laugh, coffee cups in hand, with just enough blurriness to make it seem like they'd been hiding something. He could practically hear the clickbait headlines pouring in.
Before he could decide how to feel about it, his phone vibrated. Clara, was calling, he could guess what the call would be about.
"Hey, Clara," he greeted, bracing himself for the inevitable lecture.
"Lando," she replied, her tone brisk but calm. "I take it you've seen the latest post?"
He let out a sigh. "Yup. Coffee with a friend is apparently headline news now."
"Well, that's the thing," she said, her tone softening. "This could actually work in your favor, given the recent positive press after the Monster shoot. Your name's trending. So is hers. But if we're going to let this run its course, we need to play this carefully."
Lando chuckled. "Carefully, meaning I don't start singing our friendship from the rooftops?"
"Exactly," Clara agreed, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Fans are all about mystery and 'will-they-won't-they' dynamics. And this actually feeds into that... but only if we keep things strictly under wraps. No grand reveals, no joint statements. Just low-key, professional, and ambiguous."
"Low-key and professional. Got it." He smiled to himself. This was a game he could play.
"And don't look so pleased," Clara chided, sensing his mood even over the phone. "Just stick to the plan. Play it cool until the Monster campaign kicks off, then we'll see where it goes."
"Sounds like a plan, boss," Lando replied, trying to keep his grin under control. "I'll stay clear of more coffee shops."
"Good. I'll be in touch soon. Take care, Lando."
When the call ended, Lando glanced back at the article, shaking his head with a smirk. He opened his messages and fired off a text to Evangeline.
Lando: Guess we're famous. Have you seen the F1 gossip page?
Her reply came in almost instantly.
Evangeline: So I have. Must be our amazing coffee-drinking skills.
Lando: Or the fact that we look like we're plotting a heist in those photos.
Evangeline: Maybe we should lean into it and start wearing matching sunglasses, trench coats, the works.
Lando chuckled, the idea of him and Evangeline on some covert mission, three time grand slam tennis player and formula one driver causing chaos.
Lando: Right? I'll grab the disguises. Can you handle the getaway car?
Evangeline: Of course. Though if we're both behind the wheel, I think we'd attract even more attention.
He laughed at that, not expecting Evangeline to play into his banter the way she had been.
Lando: Clara wants us to keep it "strictly professional." Like we're in some kind of corporate alliance.
Evangeline: Ah, yes. The corporate coffee summit. How could I forget?
Lando: I say we roll with it. Keep 'em guessing. We're nothing if not pros.
Evangeline: Absolutely. We're just two very dedicated professionals who happen to enjoy caffeinated beverages.
Lando: Exactly. Though I have to admit, you might be one of the more fun "corporate alliances" I've had.
Evangeline: I'll take that as a compliment, Mr. Norris.
Lando: It was meant as one, Ms. Vittori.
The messages ended, but Lando felt a strange buzz of energy. This new connection—unlike any he'd had before—had managed to brighten his day without him even realizing it. As he pocketed his phone, he found himself looking forward to whatever their "alliance" would bring next.
He spent the next few minutes before his flight brewing an instagram post as he realised he handed made one in a while. Lando knew exactly what he was was going to post, hopefully Clara still wanted to be his manager after this.
