life is what happens to you
➝ the life of a mother is not simple but it does not surpass that of the mother of a child who, in theory, does not exist to the world
➝ word count: 5,8k
➝ warnings: mentions of smut, coparenting.
➝ author's note: let's just say the idea of a formula one driver having a secret son gave me ideas.
The doorbell made you jump from the couch, relief filling your chest. As you walked to the apartment door, the sound of laughter made you smile. Finally your heart was home. When you opened it, you found a man and a little boy standing in the doorway, both with huge smiles on their faces.
— Mamá! — the boy exclaimed, throwing himself into your arms as he laughed.
— Hi, my love — you replied, pressing a kiss to his brown hair — How are you? I missed you so much.
— I missed you too, mamá — he murmured, his head nestled against your sternum, his hands resting firmly on your back, as if he were trapping you between his arms. After what felt like an eternity away from him, you never wanted him to let go.
— How was your week? — you asked.
— It was good — the boy replied, turning his head toward the man behind him — I biked a lot, didn't I, papá?
You looked up into a pair of brown eyes that were similar to your son's. The man in front of you had a tender, soft expression. One of his hands gripped the handles of a carry-on bag that you’d packed, and the other was stuffed into the pocket of his dark jeans. He looked exactly the same as the night you had met a Richard Mille event, seven years earlier.
You had been working as a designer for the watch brand for a few years at that point, and had gained a reputation for creating some especially bold pieces. At that time, you were celebrating the launch of your newest creation, the RM 19-02, which featured the first automatic movement for the brand, featuring a magnolia flower that opened and closed as the internal mechanism moved.
Seeing people enchanted by your creation, praising the little details, felt incredible, but all of it became background noise when an incredibly well-dressed man stopped to look at the display. You had seen his face before, but you couldn’t recall his name.
— This is yours, right?
— What? — you asked, half confused by the vagueness of his question, half captivated by how smooth his accent was.
— The design. It’s yours?
— Yes, it's mine.
He smiled.
— I can tell.
— Why? — you said, raising an eyebrow at him.
— It's beautiful like you.
Before long, he had introduced himself as Fernando and that he was a longtime friend of Richard Mille himself. You had a feeling that he wasn’t just any ordinary guest at the party. As the two of you continued talking, he started talking about cars, but you’d long stopped paying attention. His lips were of much more interest to you than the words coming out of them.
Ending up in bed with Fernando felt inevitable. Later that night, you didn't care about the marks on your neck or the volume of your moans. You didn't care how tightly he held your hair or how your hips bumped against his. You didn't mind when he mumbled something about the condom, his words were all lost in the post-orgasm haze.
Three months later, you realized that maybe you should have cared a bit more.
Finding yourself calling Fernando and then showing up at the front door of his house in Lugano with a positive pregnancy test in your purse made you feel like you were in a bad serial drama. You were fully prepared for him to humiliate you and tell you that it couldn’t have been him, that he would have never gotten a woman pregnant on a one-night stand. A pit formed in your stomach as you braced yourself for the inevitable paternity lawsuit you would have to file.
To your surprise, though, he didn’t take the news badly. He didn’t look angry or shocked, but contemplative. He asked you a few questions about birth control and the morning after, but when you told him that you’d forgotten to take the morning after pill in the blur of the hangover the next day, he sighed.
— Well, I guess we're going to have a baby, then.
Your mouth dropped open in shock.
— What…?
He looked at you, his gaze serious.
— You don't want to? I mean, don't you want to continue with the pregnancy? Of course, I'm not forcing you to do anything, if you don't want to continue, we can look at our options and, and I’ll help you pay for the procedure, of course…
— No, no, I want to have this baby... In fact, legally I can't do anything at this point — you stuttered, shaking your head — I mean... Aren't you going to ask for any proof?
He knit his eyebrows together.
— Do you want me to take a paternity test to verify?
— No, not because I have any doubts, you were the only guy I had sex with in the last few months. It’s just — you said, letting out a nervous laugh — It’s just thought, I thought you’d react in a very different way.
— Different?
— I thought you would be pissed and that I’d have to leave here and find a lawyer — you said softly.
Fernando smiled, taking one of your hands.
— I always wanted to be a father. It’s not the most conventional way, but now that I have the chance, I won't waste it. You can count on me, Y/N.
He had been sincere in offering his support. It wasn’t just monetary, either; even from the first few doctors appointments, Fernando was nothing less than the best co-parent you could have asked for. He was sincere in his willingness to wade waist-deep into the world of pacifiers, dirty diapers, doctors’ appointments, and toys.
However, the joy of having him around didn’t come without a lot of sacrifice and sadness.
Before long, you realized that Fernando was incredibly famous, especially in Spain, his home country. Because of this, and his incredibly public persona as a Formula 1 driver, a lot of legal rules had to be established with regard to the baby. His best friend and business partner, Alberto, diligently drew up a document outlining a custody schedule, restrictions on posting any identifiable images of the child, a future move — paid for by Fernando — when the child came of school age, and an agreement not to disclose the child’s paternity. It was all to protect the privacy of you and your baby, Fernando said.
However, it was worth it, and still was, especially when you saw the sparkle in your son's brown eyes. He was named Leon Alberto Luis, after Fernando’s best friend and father. All the effort was worth it when it came to your little boy, the greatest love of your life.
— Yes, we biked a lot — Fernando replied, looking up at you after dropping your son's bag on the ground — We went all around Parco Ciani, didn't we, Leon?
The boy nodded excitedly.
— And what else did you do? — you asked, as you stroked his hair.
— We played football and papá ordered Japanese food for us...
— Calamari? — you asked, looking up at Fernando again.
— As always — he replied, putting his hands in his jeans pocket. Even after seven years the similarity between Leon and Fernando still caught you off guard. It wasn’t just the physical similarities, either, but their personalities were almost identical. They both were shy at first, but had a great sense of humor once they were comfortable with someone. Both of them were also incredibly witty, with intelligence and mischievousness in equal measure.
— That's good, my dear — you replied, kissing his head — Now, say goodbye to your father and go straight to the shower.
— Do I have to take a shower now? — the boy questioned.
— Yes, you do. I could smell the sweat as soon as the car pulled up.
— I told you she would smell it — Fernando said to your son, ruffling the boy's hair — Now come here, let me give you a kiss.
Leon walked over and hugged his father tightly, his face pressed against his belly. Bowing down a little, Fernando placed a kiss on the boy's forehead and murmured something in Spanish to him, who nodded his head.
— Don't forget to ask, okay, papá? — the boy said, toddling off to his room with his overnight bag. As you looked back up at Fernando, he seemed to have a sheepish look on his face.
— You have something to ask me? — you asked, giving a small smile.
— Yeah, you could say that — he murmured.
— And what would it be?
— I wanted to know if you could... Not that, it's... If you'd like to bring Leon to a race at the end of the month — Fernando stuttered, running a hand through his hair — You know, it's going to be my birthday on the weekend and … You know…
You clenched your jaw. It was a tense subject between the two of you.
The first and only time you took Leon to a race track was, in short, a disaster. It was at the end of 2018, when Fernando had decided to retire from Formula 1 to dedicate himself to other projects, and to spending more time with Leon. The last race would be special, and he wanted his entire family to be there, including you and his son.
However, the steps that Fernando and his team had taken so that you and Leon could enjoy the race in peace was all for naught when journalists began to speculate who the woman and child were who were accompanying the Alonso family around the paddock. In the end, the plan to watch the race from the McLaren garage went down the drain and you ended up hiding away in a small room inside the McLaren motorhome, trying to calm down a screaming four-year-old boy because he wanted to see his father on the track and not on a screen.
— Fernando…
— I know Abu Dhabi was a disaster, I know — he interrupted you — But it was stupid of me to take you to a place where I would be the center of attention, but this time it's different.
— Different how? As far as I know, your season has been brilliant.
The shadow of a smile appeared on his face.
— Are you watching it?
— Leon keeps me updated. He’s watched every single race. Six podiums in eight races, right? — you said, leaning against the doorframe.
— That's right — Fernando said — The last few races weren't so good, but I believe we can recover, and having you and Leon at the track would be wonderful.
— That's why he told you to ask me, right?
He pursed his lips before letting out a heavy sigh.
— Yes, Y/N — he replied — But, like I said, this time it will be different. My parents and sister won't be there, so it will be easier for you to blend in with the rest of the team’s guests…
— Look, Fernando, I would really like to…
— I asked for normal credentials, without my name, so that you can enjoy the weekend — the driver continued — Please, Y/N, it will be so good to have you there with me, and on my birthday...
— Fernando…
— He even told me what he's going to wear, it's going to be that lime green Kimoa sweatshirt...
— Fernando! — you exclaimed, interrupting him — I know you love Leon, that you want him around but, as you said when I got pregnant, we have to protect him from the media circus.
— I know…
— So you understand that taking him to the middle of a paddock for a race is not the best way to do this, right? I know you both love Formula 1, but we can't risk his safety and privacy because of this.
— But I want him to watch me race…
— And he watches you, Fernando, every weekend. He loves watching you on television, he screams every time you make an overtake. But we have to face the reality of it, and you know that it’s too much of a risk to his safety and privacy. You know that more than anyone.
— I know, which is why I took so many extra steps this time — he replied, running a hand through his hair — Forget about it, okay? When I get back from Spa, let's see about doing something together, okay?
— As long as it's not on a go-karting track — you said, laughing a bit.
— I can't promise that — Fernando said, putting his hand back in his pocket — See you, Y/N.
— See you, Fernando — you replied, as he turned and headed towards the elevator. After a few seconds of staring at his back, you finally closed the door, letting out a long sigh.
It was hard to be the person who said no. However, it was often necessary to curb the impulses of both Leon and Fernando and bring a rational view of the situation to make decisions. Of course, you wanted them to have the most normal coexistence possible, to be able to do normal things that fathers and sons did, but, above everything else, you needed to protect him, even if it meant having to deny what would probably be an amazing experience for the boy.
— Are we going? — Leon's voice broke you out of your thoughts. You turned around to see him in the hallway, looking hopefully at you.
— What?
— Are we going with papá to the race?
— Leon…
— Come on, mamá, it'll be nice. I swear I will behave, I will stay only with you...
— My love, you know it's not just that. There are other things…
— Is it because of Andrea? — he asked.
You swallowed hard, feeling your shoulders tense. It wasn't like Fernando's love life was any of your business, after all, your romantic relationship with him never went beyond the night Leon was conceived. However, you couldn't help but feel a certain distrust every time he showed up in the paddock with a new girl on his arm.
His most recent girlfriend was Andrea, a journalist who covered Formula 1 for an Austrian broadcaster. Even though Leon thought she was kind, and loved playing with her dog, a yellow Labrador named Bodhi, you always felt uneasy in her presence. There was something in the way she looked at you that made you uncomfortable, as if she was studying you, trying to understand your relationship with Fernando and Leon, if there was something more.
— No, it has nothing to do with your father’s girlfriend…
— Papá said she's just his friend now.
— What? — you asked, confused.
— Bodhi wasn't at papá's house when I got there, so I asked where he was and papá told me that he went back to Austria with Andrea — the boy explained — I asked if he was going to Austria too, and papá said no, because he and Andrea are just friends now.
You couldn't help but notice that Leon looked a little upset. You knew he loved dogs, but the fact that you lived in a small apartment prevented you from having a big one, which were his favorites. It also didn't help that Fernando had plenty of space to have a big dog, but wasn’t home often enough to care for one.
You brought a hand to your son’s face and stroked his cheek.
— You liked him, right?
— Bodhi was nice, mamá — he said — He was always happy to see me. Did you know he liked to lick my face?
You laughed, lifting the hair that fell over his forehead.
— And you loved letting him lick your face, didn't you?
— Yes — the boy said with a mischievous expression — I also liked playing ball with him and Andrea...
— Did he bring you the ball? — you tried to keep up the conversation, ignoring the mention of the woman.
— Yes, he would look for us and ask us to play. I always managed to throw it further than Andrea — Leon said, until his face lit up — Mamá, what if we go to the race and ask Andrea if we can visit Bodhi?
You paused, unsure of how to answer your son’s question.
— We’ll see, my love. Now, go take a shower.
With a hopeful smile on his face, the boy obeyed.
His smile was what made you want to kick yourself. Leaving the possibility of going to the race open was fueling the expectation that Leon had already cultivated within himself for a long time. Doing that just to break your son's heart made you feel like a terrible mother.
“Would it really be so bad if we went to a race?”, you thought as you dropped onto the sofa, looking at the photo on the end table. It was a photo of you and Fernando holding Leon when he was just a few months old, both of you looking at the boy with pure admiration and love. It was as if it was impossible to believe that you had been able to create something as beautiful and pure as Leon. It was precisely that innocence that you wanted to protect from the media monster that prowled the circuits, sniffing out stories and devouring its prey without mercy.
Leon couldn't become another victim. You wouldn’t let it happen.
Over the next few days, you managed to avoid talking about the race, dodging the question any time Leon asked. However, your efforts were in vain when Fernando made a video call with the boy, directly from his room in Budapest. He had no restrictions on seeing Leon, quite the opposite. There were very few days that Fernando didn’t speak to his son somehow. Most of the time it was through calls or text messages, and you were proud of them for managing to become close in spite of Fernando’s insane workload.
During the conversation about what Leon did during the week and in his football practices, your son asked the question you were most afraid of.
— Will I see you next week, papá? — Leon asked.
— Ah, well — Fernando stammered, his eyes seeming to search for your image on the phone screen — You know I'd like to see you, but it's your mom who decides that.
The boy turned to look at you, his face full of hope.
— Can we, mamá?
— Leon…
— Please, mamá, I'll behave, I promise!
You sighed. Something inside you told you that this wasn't a good idea, that it was too risky for his privacy. However, what kind of mother would you be preventing him from seeing his own father? What kind of mother would you be if you kept him trapped in a bubble? What kind of mother would you be to deny something so simple?
— Do you want to go see your papá race?
— Yes, mamá!
— Are you going to stay by my side the whole time and not talk to strangers?
— Yes.
— I mean it, don’t talk to anyone other than me, your papa, and your uncle Alberto.
— I won't talk to any strangers, I promise, mamá — he said, while Fernando smiled on the device's screen.
— Then we can go, my love — you said to Leon, who immediately looked at the cell phone screen with a giant smile on his face.
— Papá, I'm going to the race! — he exclaimed.
On the other side of the call, Fernando laughed at the boy's excitement, but the way his dimples framed his smile indicated that he was overjoyed with the news.
— Yes, you are! And we’ll have that waffle filled with chocolate sauce I told you about instead of the birthday cake.
— With candles for us to blow out?
— Yes, we will find some candles to put in it, okay?
The boy talked about what he would like to take with him and whether he could sit in the car, which Fernando was happy to confirm. At the end of the call, he blew several kisses to his father, telling him he would see him in five days.
Those five days that seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
On the private flight that Fernando had hired to take you and Leon to Belgium, you couldn’t help but feel restless. Even with all the assurances that you wouldn't have any problems, you couldn't reassure yourself. Terrible scenarios came to mind, unprompted, each one worse than the last. By the time the plane approached the small airport in the region, your anxiety had reached a fever pitch.
— Mamá? — Leon's voice bringing you to reality — Are we there yet?
— Not yet, my love — you replied, looking at him — There’s still a little bit left.
— Is papá going to pick us up at the airport? — your son asked, as you took off the hood of the sweatshirt he had chosen that morning to fix his hair.
— Yes, along with Alberto and Fabri. And we will go straight to the circuit.
The joy on Leon’s face when learning that information was only exceeded by the joy on his face when he saw Fernando waiting for him on the landing strip, a slight smile beneath the hood of his black Boss sweatshirt. The hug between the two made something warm fill your chest, and so did seeing them laughing and joking like any other father and son.
— Thank you for agreeing to come, Y/N — he said, as Leon pulled his father's credential from his sweatshirt pocket and showed it to Fabri.
— It's the least I can do, Fernando — you replied, crossing your arms — And, considering he's your biggest fan...
You both looked at Leon at the same time. The boy was questioning Alberto relentlessly, wanting to know where his credential was and if it was the same as Fernando's. When your eyes met again, you knew that your concern was more evident than you would have liked.
— Look, I — you started, only to be interrupted.
— I know you're scared, especially because of what happened in Abu Dhabi. But rest assured, nobody will bother you.
— Are you sure? — you asked.
— Absolutely — Fernando said, before being interrupted by his son clinging to his arm.
— Let's go, papá! — Leon exclaimed, anxiously — I want to see the track!
The trip to the track was fairly short, with Leon excitedly talking about playing games on the Nintendo Switch in his backpack.
At the entrance to the paddock, you decided to separate, in order to avoid unnecessary attention. Giving Fernando one last kiss, Leon made him promise that they would meet inside so he could show him the car.
— Your passes are inside — Alberto said, handing you an envelope — I'll send you a message when Fer is free, ok?
— Perfect — you replied, before getting out of the car with Leon, as he waved to his father one last time before Fernando disappeared through the turnstiles.
The last time you’d come to a race, the paddock was incredibly crowded, but the fact that this was not the final race of the season and the weather was cold and dreary seemed to be keeping the crowds down.
— Where is everybody? — Leon asked you softly, gripping the pass around his neck.
— Well, there's nothing on the track today, so there aren't many people around here — you said — Which means we can make the most of it.
The boy nodded, holding your hand as you both walked past the rows of paddock buildings. However, when you were passing the structure set up by Red Bull Racing, you felt your phone vibrate in your purse. You let go of Leon’s hand to paw through the contents of your purse in search of your phone.
— Where, where… Here! — you said, as you unlocked the screen and saw that the call had gone to your voicemail.
However, that became a secondary concern when you realized Leon had run off somewhere. You felt your heart pounding as you started looking for the boy’s brown curls and gray coat. You had only let go of his hand for a second…
— Leon, Leon, my God, Leon — you stammered, about to scold him for not staying by your side even though he promised to do so on the phone call with his father...
— Mamá! — you heard Leon calling out — Here, mamá!
You turned around and found the boy waving at you a few feet in front of you. He was next to a woman wearing a pink coat and her hair in a ponytail, who was sitting on a bench. You walked toward him briskly, your words for him dying on the tip of your tongue when you realized who he was standing next to.
— My love, why…
— Remember I said I was going to talk to Andrea about Bodhi?
You blinked, looking up at Andrea, who had an embarrassed smile on her face and a cup of coffee in her hand.
— Good morning, Y/N — Andrea said softly.
— Good morning, Andrea — you replied, trying to mask your apprehension — I hope Leon isn't bothering you.
— No, never. Leon was just asking me about Bodhi…
— Can we go visit him, Andrea? — the boy asked, expectation shining in his eyes. Placing a hand on your son's shoulder, you were thinking about the best way to say that it wouldn't be possible to go to Austria to visit a dog when the woman gave a warm smile.
— Of course, I can talk to your father and we'll see a day for you to go play with Bodhi — Andrea said, looking up at you. As if she sensed your hesitation in the air, she added quickly — If your mother agrees, of course.
— Let's see, maybe during your school vacations, right, my love? — you replied, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, forcing a smile.
— Yes!
— Perfect. Now let’s go, we have a long day ahead of us and so does Andrea — you said, looking at the journalist with the hope that she would follow your lead.
— Yes, media day is always busy for me — she said, smiling — See you later, Leon.
The boy waved goodbye to Andrea and allowed himself to be led toward the Aston Martin motorhome as you gripped his hand extra firmly. During that short journey, you tried to focus on your own breathing and not on the anxiety that took over your chest and made your stomach turn.
— Mamá…
— Not now, Leon — you replied, trying to remember what color the facilities of the team Fernando was racing for that season were.
— Mamá, you're crushing my hand — your son protested, making you stop suddenly and bend down in front of him.
— Why did you do that?
— What?
— Why did you leave my side?
— Because I saw Andrea and you said we could talk to her...
You let out a long sigh.
— My love, you said you wouldn’t leave my side, remember?
— She wasn’t far from us…
— I know, but you can't run off alone here — you said, placing a hand on the boy's face — Imagine if it were a day with more people, how would I find you? You know that I love you more than anything and that losing you would be the worst thing in the world for me.
Leon pursed his lips, looking upset about what had happened.
— Sorry, mamá — he murmured.
— It’s okay, my love — you replied — Now let's go to the motorhome.
The rest of the day was divided between watching the activity around the track and catching glimpses of Fernando as he circulated around the paddock giving interviews, checking the car's assembly and meeting with the engineers. The highlight of the day was the trip to the garage with Alberto, who introduced you and Leon to the mechanics and allowed Mikey, their leader, to explain the car to the boy.
— Can I get in? — he asked with his eyes shining.
The red-haired man looked at Alberto, who gave a positive nod.
— Of course you can — Mikey replied.
With Leon settled in Fernando's seat and with his hands on the steering wheel that had been positioned just in front of him, the boy seemed completely ecstatic. It felt like he was finally in the right place, where he should have been all along. It was no wonder his grandfather, Luis, was so insistent that they consider getting him into karting as soon as he was old enough.
— You can't see anything from here — he said, looking at you. The mechanics working on Alonso’s car chuckled.
— The drivers are a little taller, so they can see the track — Alberto explained — But, when you're a little older, you’ll be able to see just fine.
Leon smiled, before looking ahead again and pressing his fingers on the steering wheel. It was impossible not to notice how much he looked like the pictures you’d seen of Fernando as a child, so much so that you made a point of taking a picture of him to show Fernando at dinner later.
However, you didn't have that opportunity.
Leon was already lying in bed, watching a cartoon on Netflix. Despite what you had agreed on, Fernando hadn’t been able to leave his meeting with his engineers in time to have dinner with you. His message fell like a bomb on his son's mood, and he barely touched the ice cream that Alberto had offered to share with him.
— Mamá?
— Yes, my love?
— Is papá coming?
You swallowed hard. The last message you had received from him stated that he was leaving the circuit, and it had been right after you arrived at the hotel suite. At that point, you had no idea when or if he would hit there, especially after that day.
— I don't know, my love — you said, running your hand through his hair — You know that this is still papá's job and he's very dedicated...
— But didn't he say when he's coming? — the boy questioned.
— He texted — you started, only to hear the sound of two knocks on the door. Looking back at Leon, you found his excited expression — Wait here.
You got up from the bed and went to the entrance of the room, feeling relief take over your chest when you saw that it was Fernando.
— Can I come in? — he asked softly, running a hand through his hair.
You nodded and stepped aside so he could come in. Smiling, the driver walked by you, kissing you on the cheek as he passed, before walking over to the bed. Leon had an enormous smile on his face.
— Papá! — he exclaimed, as Fernado lifted him up into an enormous hug.
— Hola, mijo. I came as soon as I could. Did you have fun today?
— Yes!
— What did you do? Tell me everything.
— Yes, it was really cool. Mamá and I stayed with Melina in the morning and she showed us everything inside. She even got us waffles!
— Does that mean you got the waffles? I always ask them, but they always say they don't have any waffles — the driver said, as you walked around the bed and sat on the other side of Leon — I think I'm going to have a serious talk with them.
— Maybe the waffles are just for the VIP guests, right, my love? — you suggested with a wink, which made your son laugh.
— Yes, only for special guests!
— But I'm their driver! — Fernando exclaimed, in mock indignation — I deserve waffles too!
— Don't you have a weight to keep, Fernando? — you asked.
— Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't eat waffles, especially with my son — he replied, before pouting — But I don't think he likes eating waffles with me...
Almost immediately, the boy laughed.
— I like eating waffles with you, papá…
— You mean we can eat waffles together?
— Yes! — Leon exclaimed.
— With chocolate sauce or honey?
— Hm — the boy thought for a few seconds — Mamá, could it be chocolate?
— Don't you think you ate too much chocolate today?
Leon looked away from Fernando, looking embarrassed.
— It wasn't that much...
— Yes, it was. And I have a photo to prove it.
— You do? — Fernando asked, raising himself on one elbow.
— Yes, I do — you replied, taking the phone that was on the bedside table. A few taps later, the plate of waffles was on the screen in front of Fernando, who seemed somewhat impressed.
— Did you eat all of that? — he asked looking at Leon.
— Yes, every last bit — you replied — He didn't give me any.
The driver laughed.
— I can imagine the sugar rush you had afterwards…
The conversation between you continued for some time, until Leon began to slowly close his eyes while his father stroked his hair. It wasn't long before he was fast asleep, with his face against Fernando's chest and one of his arms resting on his waist in a hug.
— Y/N? — Fernando asked softly.
— Yeah?
— Was Leon very upset that I couldn't have dinner with you?
You pursed your lips.
— Well, a little. He was really looking forward to seeing you and telling you everything but…
He snorted, looking at the boy.
— I didn't want to stay late — Fernando murmured — But tomorrow there's only one practice session before qualifying for Sunday, so I couldn't avoid it...
— He knows that — you said — I told you that, as much as it's fun, it's still your job and you're very dedicated to it. And you can't win if you don't dedicate yourself, so we have to understand and support you, even if it means you're far from us.
The driver looked up at you, his expression completely unreadable.
— Do you think I'm dedicated?
— That's a stupid question, Fernando.
— I just want to know your opinion — he smiled.
You rolled your eyes.
— Yes, I think you are dedicated and I admire you for that.
— You admire me, huh? — the driver asked in a suggestive tone.
— Professionally speaking — you said, the emphasis in your words causing a giggle to escape his lips.
— I also admire you a lot, Y/N.
— Professionally speaking?
— Personally speaking.
You stared at him in silence for a few seconds, trying to read between the lines of his words. However, the smile on his face made you completely lose your train of thought. It always did.
— Well, thank you — you managed to say, before your eyes found the face of his watch, which indicated that it was already past 11 o'clock at night — But I think it's past your bedtime
— No problem, I can stay a little longer…
— I'd like to rest, since I've had to deal with your son all afternoon.
Fernando laughed.
— He's also your son, in fact, he has a lot of you in him — he said, as he carefully got up from the bed, placing Leon's arm close to his body.
— I know that. But I prefer to highlight your participation so you can understand why I need a good night's sleep.
— And you will have it, I'm sure — Fernando replied, before heading towards the door of your suite. However, before leaving, he turned and smiled at you — Good night, Y/N. See you tomorrow.
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