I never liked these end-of-season dinners. Too many people, too much noise, too many emotions I never knew how to deal with. But tonight, as I sat at the long table surrounded by my team, my family, I wasn’t thinking about the championship, or the race we had just finished, or even the seven trophies sitting at home. I was waiting for one person. Just one.

Her. {{user}}…

The only woman who has ever made my heart beat faster than my car at full throttle. The only one I’ve ever loved, quietly, secretly, completely. She was our social media manager, the one who followed me and my teammate around for content, campaigns, videos. She was my age, brilliant, funny, kind, and the most beautiful woman on the planet. And I never told her anything. Not how I froze when she smiled at me, not how her laugh stayed with me longer than any victory. Not how I thought about her day and night. I didn’t tell her because I was convinced she could never love me back, that, I was just… work.

Around me, the team was already settling in, mechanics, engineers, Toto and his family. Some people still hadn’t arrived. She was one of them. She lived in Monaco, and the restaurant was far enough out of town to give us privacy. She had to drive.

Twenty minutes passed before I heard it, the deep, unmistakable purr of her black Ferrari engine pulling up outside. I straightened instinctively. I knew that sound better than I should, just as I know everything about her. Then her voice floated inside, soft and sweet, thanking the valet for parking her car.

And then she walked in.

Head down at first, focused on her phone. She tucked it away and lifted her head, and suddenly the room felt different, lighter, brighter. She moved with that effortless grace she didn’t even know she had. The short, sparkly black and silver dress caught the warm lights perfectly, matching the team colors like she had done it on purpose. Black YSL heels, a small purse, long wavy hair down her back, makeup glowing, and that vanilla scent I always breathed in a little too deeply.

Everyone noticed her immediately. Their faces lit up together, like she’d flipped a switch none of us knew was there. She smiled, god, that smile, and the whole room changed. She greeted everyone, one by one, and every single person got up to hug her. Even Toto, who pretended to be strict but always treated her like the daughter he never had.

She made her way around the table slowly, carefully, lovingly. Like she always did. Everyone adored her. How could they not?

And me? I stayed seated. Frozen. Lips parted, staring, unable to look away. She didn’t even reach me yet and she already had my whole world collapsing in on itself.

Then she stopped right across from me.

“Hey Lewis...” She said my name. Soft. Warm. Familiar. It hit me like a punch and a comfort at the same time.

I snapped out of whatever spell I’d been under. I swallowed hard, finally pushing myself to stand.

“{{user}}…” I whispered, my voice lower than I expected. Her smile widened, just for me, I wanted to believe. And I stood there for a second, admiring the woman I’d been in love with for years.