Nico
A smile spread on my lips when Alaric De Villier's eyes met with mine from across the room. He was the reason I had come to this boring gala.
And I wasn't alone.
I came with his ex-fiancée, Sophia Laurent. The one everyone thought would end up marrying him until the accident destroyed everything.
The one who used to wear his ring and stand beside him in every victory photo. Now she walked beside me in a deep emerald gown that clung to her like it had been poured on, her dark hair swept up, exposing the long line of her neck.
Perfect. Anything to make Alaric lose his mind.
I kept my hand resting lightly at the small of her back as we moved through the crowd, making sure everyone in the room turned their heads towards us.
Whispers followed our every step. I could feel the eyes on us — drivers, team principals, sponsors, all of them wondering what the hell was going on.
The tension in the air thickened the moment we entered, and I fed off it.
The headline would go crazy tomorrow about this and I couldn't wait to see how Alaric's agency would react. Pictures of me and Sophia together would be everywhere by morning. Social media would explode. The pressure on Alaric would build even higher. I was hoping they convinced him to drop out of the season at least.
One more push and maybe the Ferrari team would decide the risk wasn't worth it. Maybe Alaric himself would finally admit he couldn't handle coming back.
The crystal chandeliers cast warm light over everything, but all I cared about was the way Alaric's shoulders stiffened the second he registered who was on my arm. His whole body went rigid like someone had punched him in the gut.His jaw tightened. His hazel eyes sharpened into something cold and furious.
Good. Let him feel it. Let it eat at him the same way the thought of him returning had been eating at me for months.
After our last encounter at the charity gala, I had been coming up with every possible method to make sure I drove Alaric away from the grid, anything at all to make him not return.
Being the king of the grid had made my family's perspectives about me changed. I was now their golden boy which was why I couldn't let Alaric return and why I had made tonight personal.
Everyone knew how Alaric had always doted on Sophia. They were childhood sweethearts according to their previous interviews, which I had spent days watching after the announcement.
I had replayed those videos over and over, studying the way he looked at her, the way his hand always rested on her waist, the soft smiles they shared when they thought no one was watching.
It was all so perfect. Too perfect. And now I was the one standing in his old place hoping it would drive him insane.
I knew one day he would return so I spent the years he was on hiatus to study him. I knew his dislike for coffee, the way even the smell made his nose wrinkle. I knew his pollen allergies that flared up every spring and exactly which medication he kept in his bag. I knew down to the brand of his underwear, the cologne he preferred, the songs he listened to before a race, and the exact model of watch he wore on his left wrist. Every little detail I could find, I collected.
It might seem like an obsession but if getting my enemy off the grid was being obsessed then I'd do it. Because this wasn't just a rivalry. This was survival.
Alaric coming back meant the spotlight shifting, the comparisons starting, the chance that someone might remember he was once the golden boy and start doubting whether I truly deserved to be here. I refused to let that happen.
Sophia leaned slightly into my side as we crossed the polished marble floor, playing her part beautifully.
We had struck a deal days ago. She wanted to become the face of a huge brand back in Korea which coincidentally belonged to my grandfather and I had helped her secure it in exchange for a date with her tonight.
She got her contract. I got my weapon against Alaric. Simple.
Dami Adebayo-Lefèvre spotted Sophia first. The Ferrari driver's easy smile faltered when he saw her. His eyes widened for a split second before he masked it, but it was too late. He leaned in and said something quick and low to Alaric.
The moment our eyes locked, his expression hardened into pure ice. He looked at me as if he was about to kill me with his looks alone.
"Alaric," Sophia said when we reached them, her voice smooth and polite, like we were all old friends. "It's been a long time. You look… well."
I watched Alaric force a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Sophia, good to see you," he said, and then his gaze slid to me.
"Park."
The way he said my name sounded like he was forcing it out of his mouth. It was flat, venomous, just like I had expected. Each syllable carried the weight of everything he wasn't saying.
"De Villier," I answered, letting the smirk I'd been holding back finally curve my lips. "Nice to see you standing upright. I wasn't sure you'd make it this far after everything." I pulled Sophia closer to my side, pretending to brush a strand of hair from her forehead with gentle fingers. "Did you get the painting I sent to you?"
He frowned and his pretty face turned red immediately. The flush crept up his neck and into his cheeks. I wanted to laugh at his reaction but instead I kept a straight face, watching every flicker of emotion cross his features.
"I did get your painting," Alaric responded with a forceful smile. "But I mistakenly smashed it against the wall while I brought it to my house so I threw it in the trash where it belongs." He smirked at me, trying to regain control. "Enjoy the rest of your night with your uhm…" he looked at Sophia. "Your date."
I tried to speak but then he grabbed Dami's hand and turned to walk away from me, pulling his teammate with him like he couldn't stand another second in my presence.
I couldn't let him get away. At least not yet. This wasn't the kind of reaction I wanted from him. I needed him rattled, not running.
"Why are you running off, Alaric? The gala is about to start."
"Anywhere that is not with you."
I chuckled lightly, keeping my tone light and mocking. "Or is this because of Sophia? You mad that I am on a date with her? Is that why you are running off?" I made sure my voice was loud enough to get a few heads to turn towards our direction, anything at all to make him stay.
Let the whole room hear. Let them see the crack in the great Alaric De Villier.
Alaric glared hard at me then he forced another smile on his face. "Can I see you please, Park?" He requested.
"And why is that? You don't want to be here when the gala is starting?"
"I just wanted to talk to you!" He yelled too, doing what I had done to make others stare towards us.
He knew that would get their attention and make them start talking.
And it worked out well because everyone started murmuring amongst themselves. Cameras flashed discreetly from the edges of the hall.
I held Alaric's gaze for a long moment, letting the silence stretch just enough to make it uncomfortable for everyone watching.
My smirk never faded. Inside, satisfaction burned hot in my chest. This was exactly what I wanted — Alaric losing his composure in public, showing the world that his comeback wasn't as smooth and controlled as his team wanted everyone to believe.
"Alright," I said finally, my voice calm and amused. "Lead the way, De Villier. Let's talk."