The Bull Prince | Max Verstappen

Chapter 34

Short message this time: Did what I could! Honestly. Enjoy the new chapter and have a lovely day!  

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The elevator door have long closed as Joanna was pulled away from her thoughts by Kiwi, who handed her the key card with a small smile before she offered to take Joanna's things up, so she wouldn't be late for the meeting in Jules honor. To be true, Joanna didn't want to go. She didn't want to be alone, but neither did she want to be surrounded by people.

"Thanks," Joanna told Kiwi, who called her a taxi, so she would arrive on time at the house Sebastian had rented for the occasion. Somewhere near the beach. Jules loved the sand.

Maybe Joanna was insensitive. She didn't really understand the point of meeting and sitting together, but Sebastian thought it was a good idea and he was much more empathetic than Joanna could ever be. If he thought it was a good thing to do, the Austrian would not contradict him.

He was most likely right and it would be good for the younger guys to see that despite all the competition, at the end of the day, there were only nineteen other people in the world, who did the exact same as them and when the smoke clears and the engines are switched off, they're in this together. They understood each other, despite little differences.

Arriving at the house, Joanna exhaled slowly, before she knocked. It was Daniel, who had opened the door. Catching his eye, Joanna knew that he suffered and that they will never heal enough to simply sit together and talk about Jules every once in a year. It will always hurt but both of them were too stubborn to admit that.

"I'm glad you're here." He whispered in her ear, as he pulled the Austrian into his arms, holding on to her for longer than normal, but Joanna would never mention it. She would hold him in her arms for the rest of her life if that would take away the pain he was feeling. She loved Daniel after all.

"I'm not sure I am." She told him softly and Joanna knew that Daniel understood. Brushing her hand through her hair, Joanna followed Daniel into the open space living area. It was a nice loft. A spacious couch and huge floor-to-ceiling windows. The light of the moon and the stars shining inside and illuminating the room. Nobody had bothered to turn on the light apart from one light in the kitchen. Walking over to the windows, Joanna looked outside to see the sea and the beach. Both seemed quiet.

"He would have liked this place," Jenson said behind her and Joanna wanted to ask how he would know, but she didn't. No was not the time to start a fight. She simply nodded and excepted the beer Jenson handed her and Daniel.

Taking a seat on the couch next to Sebastian who softly spoke with Lewis, she gave him a sad smile and squeezed his shoulder in greeting but didn't join the conversation. Daniel was by her side, only to rest his head on her shoulder occasionally sipping from his beer, but the Aussie didn't speak either. He only smiled once as Max took the seat on his order side and squeezed his shoulder shortly.

Daniel didn't question why Joanna didn't even do so much as look in Max's direction. Most likely thinking it was still about upholding an appearance. 

Letting her gaze wander over the people present, Joanna felt sick. She knew that the group of younger driver, who was present only wanted to pay their respect, but she hated that they were here as well. Some of them didn't even know Jules.

Glancing over to where Fernando, Jenson and some of the older drivers were sitting, Joanna also didn't understand why exactly they were present. Because Sebastian had invited them all and it would be rude not to show up? They could all stay away from Joanna, for all she cared.

Letting her gaze wander towards the kitchen Joanna noticed the young boy awakened hovering near the fridge, she had watched him win his first F2 race a few weeks back. Charles Leclerc, she recalled and then it hit her. Of course, the boy was here. Jules was his godfather. She had read about him, quite a tragic story for such a young age, no wonder he had the reputation that chaos and drama were following him.