The Bull Prince | Max Verstappen

SEQUEL - Chapter 21

So Monday ... well shit huh? That's reason enough for a new chapter I would say. I will just drop this and run because it might be one of the saddest chapters I've written in a very long time. So yeah. Enjoy reading? And maybe get some tissues if you tear up easily. Nevertheless. Cheers! 

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"You scared us to death," Kiwi muttered as soon as she saw that Joanna was opening her eyes again, which caused the Austrian to groan once, before reaching out her hand for Kiwi to take what the Aussie did right away.

Kiwi had made all the drivers leave, even Lewis, so only Andrew and James were allowed to be there, but even the two of them had gone to talk to Toto instead of watching over Joanna with Kiwi, which Joanna was kind of glad about. She didn't want all this attention just because she was a weak woman.

"I'm sorry," Joanna whispered gently, earning herself a soft smile from her assistant. An apology wasn't needed. 

"Kiwi, show me that article please." The Austrian added, before explaining everything that had happened in the last 48 hours after reading over the article which claimed to know things even Joanna herself had no idea about. As she finished her story all Kiwi could do was shake her head and ask her why she didn't say something earlier, that she had to go through something like that and that they would go through this together, no matter if Joanna had inherited the sickness or not.

"Joanna," Kiwi muttered after a few moments causing the Austrian, who was wrapped in a blanket to look up from her phone and at her friend. 

"Max...he." The Aussie started to talk, her expression serious, but Joanna shook her head as if to deny what the PR assistant was about to address. She even seemed to visibly move back from Kiwi as if her words could hurt her. 

"Please not now," Joanna dismissed Kiwi. 

"No, Joanna. I think you need to hear this now." The Aussie pointed out but the Austrian moved away further, resting her back against the wall. Kiwi moved to sit next to Joanna on the bed, taking her hand in hers which the Austrian didn't refuse. 

 "I saw the way he looked at you," Kiwi said causing Joanna to huff. "Not just now. He always looks at you like this. For a while, I thought it was gone..."

"Kiwi. " She warned softly. This wasn't the time for this conversation. 

"I know it's complicated between the two of you and I won't ever get involved in your love life, I know enough people who will try, so just let me say this." 

"You can trust him. I know that there is not one person on this plant you trust completely and share all your secrets with... but Max. Joanna, Max is an alley. He will stand by your side." Kiwi told the younger Mercedes driver which caused her to huff, ready to argue, that nobody will be on her side forever, that sooner or later everybody leaves her. 

But Kiwi was fast to reach out and put her hand on Joanna's growing baby bump, causing the Austrian to look at her taken aback. "I know you can't see it just yet, but this child, your child will put Max on your side forever, just as much as you will be on his side."

Looking into Kiwi's eyes for a long moment, Joanna lowered her gaze to her belly and the Aussie's firm hand on the bump. Joanna knew that Kiwi was convinced of her words or she would never have spoken them. So Joanna raised her hand to settle it on top of the Aussie's. 

"What if you're wrong?" Joanna whispered, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. "What if this was finally one lie too much and he hates me now forever?"

Kiwi's expression softened, a smile suddenly bloomed on her face as she was about to reply, but the moment the door opened and Andrew walked in. Both women turned to look. Joanna was fast to wipe her cheeks, looking away, while Kiwi removed her hand from the Austrian's belly. Andrew, in the meantime, understood that he had stumbled into a rather private moment for the two women he worked with on a daily basis.