Against All Odds || Christian Horner

BLAKE
I've spent my entire adult life trying to carry a legacy that was never meant to rest on one person's shoulders. To the world, I'm the backbone of Williams Racing. But behind the title, I'm still grieving-terrified that failing my father's team means losing the last real piece of my mother. Hiring Christian Horner was supposed to be a cold business transaction-a desperate gamble on a ruthless strategist to save us from collapse. I expected a villain defined by his scandals, but instead, I found a man who understands what it means to be hollowed out by the weight of expectation. He makes me want to stop living for the dead and start fighting for myself. And for the first time, I'm not sure if I'm doing this for my family-or finally, for me.

CHRISTIAN
Regret sticks with you. After two years in exile, I've learned to live with it. I told myself I liked the quiet, but the truth is, I was just waiting for it to swallow me whole. When Blake Williams offers me a way back, I don't take it to save her team-I take it to prove I'm still here. My plan was simple: fix the car, keep my distance, and leave. But Blake doesn't back down. She sees right through the front I've built. Letting her in wasn't the plan, but she's the only thing keeping me from slipping back into the dark.

This story contains mature themes and is intended for readers 18 years of age or older. Reader discretion is advised.