malicious | max verstappen

thirty eight.

ELYSE's POV

I woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing nonstop. I yelled for Lewis to open the door but it seemed like he wasn't here, so I resentfully got up to answer the door– but I was starting to wish I didn't since it was my father at the door.

"Uh—" I couldn't even get out a few words before he pushed his way into the house, uninvited. "Hold on, what are you doing?"

He walked into my room and started throwing random clothes into the first bag he found, "I'm packing your bags, we're going to Milton Keynes."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, "What for?"

He stopped packing and shot me a look, making me feel dumb, "Why else do you think we'd go to Milton Keynes? Christian Horner called."

An excited gasp left me, even though I've never been the biggest fan of Christian Horner or Redbull.

"Don't get your hopes up, though. He only requested a meeting with you." He explained.

My father is and always has been my 'manager' when it came to things like this. And he was pretty damn good at negotiating, so I had high hopes.

The drive there was pretty awkward to say the least, thankfully though it wasn't a long drive from London to Milton Keynes. I never thought there would come a day that I'd say it, but a sense of relief washed over me once the Redbull Headquarters was in sight.

A few Redbull workers there looked at me strangely, until Horner's assistant lead us to the man himself's office.

The moment I entered, he offered me a soft smile, somewhat relaxing me.

His assistant shut the door behind us and he motioned towards the seats infront of him, "Please, have a seat."

After taking a seat, Christian wasted no time in getting straight to business.

"I know you're wondering why you're here based on the way you're nervously tapping your fingers against the seat." He pointed out while laughing, easing the tension in the room. I laughed along with him and stopped tapping my fingers. "Trust me, there's no need to be nervous. I've actually brought you here to discuss possible contracts now that it looks like you're not staying at Mercedes'."

I nodded my head as he spoke, "I'm listening."

"It's no secret you're one hell of a driver, and I believe the season you've had this year proves that." He started and hearing Christian Horner praising me only fueled my ego. "Honestly, Mercedes' are dumb for throwing you out like that."

I watched as my father sent daggers towards Christian.

"No offense, of course." He looked like he'd seen a ghost.

I snorted, saying, "Non taken— you were saying?"

"Right. So, by the looks of it, there are no more open spots on the grid except for here, even though we haven't announced it yet but—"

"Checo's retiring, I know." I cut him off, already knowing.

"Ah, yes. I forget how close you two are." He chuckled, "But, anyway, with him gone, that means we have a free seat. I was having a hard time deciding who to choose to fill that seat but when Mercedes' posted that announcement that George Russell would be replacing you, I thought why not take you? I mean, you're one of the only people who can actually challenge Max. And just imagine you two in equal machinery."

I did. I imagined how it would be like, the both of us being on the same team. Wearing the same team wear, attending the same meetings and generally spending a whole lot more time together. It would be perfect.