My Formula 1 System

Luca noticed Manuela hadn't left yet, still standing stiff and upright as if he had caught her in the middle of a thought. He straightened to his full height as a subtle gesture of inquiry, wondering what was holding her in place.

"You're still here? Is there any problem?"

Luca asked, and Manuela scratched the back of her neck anxiously, her gaze refusing to settle on a single spot. She spoke quickly.

"No… no, not at all, no problem. It's just… I'm worried about Ms. Schafer. I just… hope everything will be alright between you and her."

Luca chuckled softly, surprised by her concern. But he gave a slow nod afterwards to seal the assurance.

"Yes, everything will be fine," he said. "This is just a little friction, that's all."

It seemed those were the exact words Manuela had been hoping to hear, because the tension in her face eased a second later, and relief settled over her expression.

She finally made a move for the door, nodding her head as she went. "I hope so. I really enjoy Ms. Schafer," she said with a faint smile, most likely exhausted herself. "Anyways, goodnight. I'll make sure there's no disturbance until after nine a.m."

Luca nodded heavily. "That's exactly what I'll need. Thanks."

After that, Manuela turned the knob of the door and stepped out before closing it quietly. Luca looked around his room before getting back to his late bedtime routine.

He had the hot bath that he wanted, but immediately regretted it because it made his body feel more frail and heavy, unlike cold baths, which did the opposite. Dressed in a thick robe afterwards, he noticed how much time he had consumed. But the night was already late. How much later could it really get now?

While switching off his devices to go to bed, he received an immediate notification on his phone, a message from none other than his girlfriend, Isabella.

Isabella: Safely back in the UK now… if you even care.

Luca smiled when he read this. Without thinking much, he punched a reply.

You: Nice. Tell your dad I said hi. I miss him.

Before he could switch off the phone, another notification pinged. This time it was from Adrian. It seemed he had managed to figure out his mother's plans for the week, and he wanted Luca to be aware, as promised.

Adrian: I'm not entirely certain of all her engagements, but I know she intends to visit several boutiques. One event I can confirm: a visit to the Prince's Palace. I will attend as well, and I can ensure you are included for that.

'The palace of the Prince of Monaco it is.'

Luca thought before he switched off his phone and retired to bed.

****

The following morning was a draggy day, a day that encouraged laziness as compensation for the tiresome day before. Luca moved through it groggily, starting from a very late, reluctant morning, his body still heavy from the adrenaline and exhaustion of a successful Monaco Grand Prix.

But he didn't skip his morning exercise at all. Before noon could clock, Luca made sure he pushed through the woozy and sluggish feeling, and took the reps head-on like he owned them.

At the end, he was grateful because it helped restore some vigor, and also sharpened his mind for the rest of the day.

To keep track of progress, Luca checked his Inventory, because he had already begun planning ahead for how seamless his Australian Grand Prix campaign would be.

[Current Inventory:

—Catalysts: 6

—Wrenches: 1

—Tokens: 2.2 ]

Later that day, he enjoyed a relaxed lunch with Mallow and Vance, treating them as casual friends and buddies for the moment rather than part of his work team. They brightened the day with their cathartic discussions, bringing laughter and lightness that quickened time that once moved sluggishly.

By late afternoon, around four or five, Luca settled in his room with a few devices active and facing him. He wanted to review the important emails that Vance usually managed for him as part of his PR duties.

Vance had been mentioning for months that a popular YouTuber was eager to interview him, but Luca hadn't given it much thought since January. So, he decided to finally see the emails himself and read exactly what the guy was saying, curious to gauge the tone, the approach, and whether this was worth his attention or just another fleeting request.

It was just another fleeting request.

Luca also took the time to scroll through his own social media accounts, checking the posts and updates Vance had been sharing on his behalf. He was satisfied with everything so far, and not a single complaint.

A bit curious, he decided to test the waters himself and uploaded a photo he had taken earlier by the swimming pool.

In the photo, he was shirtless, and the warm sunlight was glinting off the water on his shoulders and chest. Unfamiliar with the platform's mechanics, Luca mistakenly posted it without the caption he had intended.

"Oh… fuck."

He whispered silently to himself in mild frustration, but decided to let it go. But then, he was immediately taken aback when the notifications surged in within a minute—likes, comments, and shares flooding in far faster than he had anticipated.

Luca understood he was the most popular young man in the world, but he didn't expect it to be this overwhelming from this perspective of social media.

He leaned back, scrolling through the endless comments praising and fawning over his physique that he sculpted in Switzerland. Everyone had been having their suspicions because of the way he had become bigger and bulkier, but no one had seen his bare body up until now.

As Luca absorbed it all, he received a call from Adrian, informing him that an invitation to the prince's palace had been forwarded directly to him.

"Haha, not like the prince won't be happy to have you there."

"Thanks, pal."