Mystery in Red

Chapter LXI - New beginning

* 3 months later* 

And it was as if after that night that I spent with Carlos in Hungary everything changed. Our intimate relationship went to a very different level, as if it was no longer based only on passion, but on love. That night was not like any other in which we shared a bed. That night, not only our bodies, but also our souls merged, and we both rediscovered our relationship. That night, for the first time, I told him that I loved him and I felt it with all my heart. And that seemed to change our whole life together.

Carlos changed - he became even more caring and gentle, he was searching for me at every free moment when we were at work, he spent much more time at home with me, or I stayed at his house in Spain for quite a long time. I began to accompany him to every official event to which he was invited by our sponsors or potential sponsors. Especially for me, Sainz called a stylist to our house to custom-make my outfit for the respective evening. He took me with him to interviews, convinced me that I had to get used to being a media personality and that there would be pictures of us everywhere... But I was ready for this a long time ago. I had accepted everything, I knew the weight of being his girlfriend, but I had never been more sure that I wanted to be with someone. I just fell in love with Carlos, without understanding, without realizing that I had wrongly suffered for Charles, when everything good for me was right in front of my eyes. And yes, I realized all this on that night in Hungary. I loved him.

We were almost inseparable. Our nights became more passionate, our days more positive. I forgot about Charles and his girlfriend, although I saw them on race weekends. Of course, I didn't contact her, but her presence didn't affect me in any way. I no longer got angry when our cars performed poorly. All that mattered to me was that Carlos got out of the car alive and well and fell asleep next to me at the end of each day, and that we woke up together the next. 

I also became closer to his family, his father was more often present at weekends in the paddock, he even became my protector and patron in front of Vasseur. The Sainz sisters were extremely kind to me and treated me as if I were part of the family, and Carlos's mother softened her initial harsh tone and became so close to me that she often called me to consult with me on what outfit to wear to the next charity event. I was often present too, as the gentle half of our duo. I felt accepted, I felt part of a family... Of course, the Leclerc brothers still looked for me, I spent time with them, I went out on a friendly basis with their family, Andrea, Alessandro. I became even closer to the women in the paddock, Francisca spent more time at my house than at Pierre's in Milan, and along with my model friend's commitments, I did a few trips and photo shoots in Italy too. My life was getting in order and it was as if Carlos contributed to all of this, he was my lucky charm and with each passing day I loved him more and more and thanked God for taking me to him... I also thanked myself for staying.

We spent the summer vacation first with his friends on a yacht, we met up with Max and Kelly, Charles, Pierre and Kika many times, then we stayed with Carlos' parents in their mansion for about a week. Sainz came with me to Italy to introduce him to my large family. Of course everyone liked him, and the comparisons with Charles were not missed when we were alone with my parents... But Carlos became my choice, slowly and gradually, he fought for my heart, and I didn't even understand how it happened. I got used to him, I realized that I was hurting him by always making Charles a priority for me, even at times the comments from my family certainly affected him, but despite this, he stayed and didn't stop trying to win me over. And that's how I fell in love with him, for himself. I saw all his colors and I liked them. 

 When the second part of the season began, Sainz showed himself to be a true patron - he made sure that my family attended most of the European races, donated money to the development of my cousins' businesses, helped enroll my niece in college. He gave himself completely to me, invested in our relationship much more than I wanted, but apparently this was his way of showing love, and I did not object. I liked that he did it from the heart, no matter how many times I told him that I did not want his finances, he always dismissed my words by saying that I deserved every cent that he had given. Sometimes I noticed that while I was working in the office or in the paddock, I would get zoned out and look at the ring on my hand for a long time, smiling, and when I looked into the distance, I would meet Carlos's eyes fixed on me. My colleagues noticed it too, Alessandro joked with me that they should start producing mini-racing cars and educate our children... The whole Motorhome married us, and that on my hand wasn't even an engagement ring.