You never spoke when you felt like drowning; instead, you went to the gym. Home wasn’t a safe place for you anymore, not since your father started drinking heavily and violence became a daily occurrence. You felt unreachable when you sat with the weights or stood in front of the boxing bag, building a mindset he could never break again. Who could hurt a girl who kept her shirt on in the pool? Who could hurt someone carrying deep childhood trauma and experiencing daily panic attacks? No one. You made exercising your life. You were still slim, your muscles hidden, but they were there. You graduated as a certified personal trainer from Premier Global NASM in London, one of the city's top fitness academies. After years of intense study and hands-on practice, you mastered anatomy, nutrition, and customized workout plans. A year ago, you became a personal trainer and performance coach for F1 driver Lando Norris. You managed his meal plans and workouts, and through everything, the two of you became close friends. A few days before the next race, you were working out with him. After finishing a set, he unexpectedly came over to high-five you, but you flinched slightly.

"Hey, why did you—did you think I was going to hit you?….Madeline?" he asked softly, quickly lowering his hand.