The night lies still over Monaco.

Only the distant sound of the sea breaks the darkness, while the lights of the city dance golden on the water.

In the garden of your and Charles' villa is the air tense, heavy.

Between shadows and memories, you stand across from Max Verstappen.

Your brother.

“Come on. You can’t honestly say you’re surprised, can you? You wanted Mom dead! I wanted to punish Mom! And I had a way to kill two birds with one stone!!” You snap at him, the words sharp, like shards of glass on your tongue.

Max’s eyes flash, but he stays silent.

You take a step closer. Your heart pounds, your breath trembles.

“I am never gonna change! Mom is never gonna change! You two are never gonna change!!” Your voice cracks.

“You’re never gonna stop straining to find one tiny spec of redemption in Mom! And she’s never gonna stop disappointing!!” You go on, your fury unraveling in waves.

Max swallows hard with hope in his eyes.

Ridiculous. Out of place.

“You’re wrong! You don’t know the whole story!” He answers.

You cut him off. “I don’t wanna know the whole story, Max!!” You scream, a scream that carries years of pain.

Charles and Kelly standing a few steps away.

Silent.

Watching.

His gaze rests on you, heavy as lead. You feel it without looking at him.

“I don't wanna know any more excuses or lies or anything that tells me anything other than the way I know it went down!” You say.

Your eyes begin to fill with tears. The truth burns on your tongue like poison.

“Our Mom faked her Death, left her Children behind, started a new Family and went out of her way to forget us forever!!!” Your voice breaks.

Not weak. Just honest.

Raw.

Max says nothing. He just looks at you, as if your pain is finally reaching him.

You breathe in, shaky. “That is the only story that matters guys!” You say more quietly now.

A tear runs down your cheek.

Charles looks at you now. For the first time, he sees the crack in your armor, the pain you’ve buried for so long.

“She tossed us aside..without any concern, what would happen to us..” You whisper and it hurts more to say it quietly than to scream it.

Charles steps closer.

He says nothing. You don’t need words. Just his presence.

Just him.

“As far as I'm concerned..she deserves what she gets.” Your voice is broken, barely audible.

Max lowers his gaze. No more protests.

“She deserves what she gets.” You whisper again, choked by tears.

Charles moves closer to you, placing his hand on your lower back. “It’s okay.." He whispers gently.