VIPER || Oscar Piastri

Chapter 119

[POV: Narrator]

It was early the next morning, and Andi still hadn't shut off her phone. She had been reading the comments, the articles, the reposted threads, the rage‑commenters — all super mean, all false.

Oscar had stopped telling her to put the phone down.

The last time he tried was a while ago now. He'd said it gently the first few times, but eventually let it go when he realised she wasn't listening. She wasn't trying to be difficult. It's just— every time she thought she'd read the worst of it, something else popped up. New perspectives from people who apparently "saw them that night."

Most of it was aimed at her — no surprise there. She kept refreshing tabs she'd already read, rereading posts that all said more or less the same thing — ripping her to bits, and not sparing Charles either. That was the part that made her feel worse. They were dragging his name through the mud, saying he was now somehow complicit, and she felt responsible, so responsible.

People were saying they "expected better from him," that he "wasn't who they thought he was," that maybe he had cheated, and maybe it was with her, and maybe all this time he'd been hiding what kind of man he really was behind a clean, PR-polished smile. It wasn't the full villainisation she was getting — nothing ever was — but it was enough that her stomach turned when she saw his name trending beside hers. And it was enough that she sat forward, closed her phone, and said quietly, "I think I'm going to go talk to him."

Oscar was across the room. He looked up, unsure he'd heard her right. "Now?"

She nodded.

He didn't speak right away. He looked like he was choosing how to phrase it — how to disagree without making her commit harder. Eventually, he said, "I really don't think you have to do that."

"I know I don't have to," she replied, already getting up, already rummaging for a jacket. "But I want to. I feel like I should."

"Andi—"

"He's getting torn up too, you know," she cut in, without snapping. "And he didn't... I mean, he didn't ask for any of this, either. And if I hadn't been so bitchy it'd have never happened. It was just bad timing. And people are saying horrible things. And I know it's not all on me but I just— I can't leave it. I owe him that much. He's my—" she paused, not finishing the sentence.

Oscar watched her quietly. Then he gave a single nod, almost to himself.

"As long as you know it's not your fault," he said.

"I know." She zipped her jacket halfway, then crossed to him, looping her arms around his neck in a brief hug. "I'll feel worse if I don't at least say something."

He looked down at her, his mouth twitching like he was trying not to sigh. He still didn't love the idea. That much was obvious. But Andi could also tell he was trying not to let it get in the way. She squeezed his wrist gently, her fingers curling once in reassurance.

"Okay," he said. "Fine." He kissed her on the cheek.

She turned for the door.

"Wait," he added, already moving after her. He stepped in and reached up without asking, tugging her zip the rest of the way up and straightening the collar like he was sealing her in.