Forever and Always | Max Verstappen *ੈ✩‧₊˚

Too much to hide anymore

Present day
Emma
I woke up to the soft light of dawn creeping through the curtains, and it took me a second to realize where I was.

His arms were wrapped around me, warm and protective, his steady breathing against the back of my neck.

I froze.

Oh.

The blanket had slipped down, and that's when I realized—my top was gone.

Oh god.

Heat flooded my face as memories from the night before came rushing back.

The way his hands had explored my body, the way l'd melted into him, the way we'd completely lost ourselves in each other.

What were we doing?

We were divorced.

We couldn't be sleeping with each other.

Carefully, I wriggled out of his arms, trying not to wake him.

He didn't stir, just mumbled something incoherent as I slipped off the bed.

I wanted air. Just needed to get out of here.

I scanned the room for my top, but it wasn't anywhere.

I looked under the bed, behind the nightstand-nothing.

My heart started racing.

I needed to find something to wear, anything, before he woke up.

After a few frantic minutes, I gave up and, out of sheer instinct, headed to my old closet.

My feet carried me there before I even realized what I was doing.

When I opened it, I was met with... emptiness.

Right. Of course.

It wasn't my space anymore.

A pang of sadness hit me as I stood there, staring at the hollow shelves, a reminder of just how far l'd drifted from this life.

With no other choice, I padded over to Max's closet.

His scent hit me immediately-clean, warm,
comforting.

I rummaged through his hoodies and pulled out a black one that looked big enough to swallow me whole.

As I slipped it on, the fabric felt soft and familiar, like a small piece of safety in the middle of the storm.

That's when I saw it.

A box on the top shelf, tucked behind some folded sweaters.

Brimming with letters each one with my name printed on it in bold:

Emma Caroline Davis.

My stomach twisted as I read the shipping label—California?

My parents' old address?

I hadn't lived there in six years.

Why would something be sent there, and why would Max save it?