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“He saw you, didn’t he?” Xavier asks as he puts his keycard back against the lock. The door unlocks, and he holds it open for a second. “If he was smart enough to move on you, then he’s smart enough to see through his dad.”

Then he winks at me and slips inside his room, the door clicking shut behind him.

I stand still, digesting Xavier’s words. And I hope with all my heart that he’s right.

I head back to our room, and instead of taking a shower, I kick off my shoes and sink onto the sofa, tucking my legs up underneath me. I try to envision what is going on in room 1325, and in each version, I see Erik spewing his false narrative all over Mason. I picture Mason stoically trying to absorb it whilst his heart desperately hopes that, by revealing his true feelings, his dad will somehow realise he was wrong.

And the tears begin to fall from my eyes again.

I grab a tissue from the side table and dab at my eyes. Then I get up, get a bottle of water from the mini fridge, and pace the luxurious room. How long will Mason be gone? It seems like he’s been there for hours now, although it’s only been half an hour. I don’t want to take a shower in case he comes back whilst I’m in there.

I need to be here waiting for him.

I sit back down again. I don’t want to look at my phone. I don’t want to shoot my clothing choices for tomorrow. I can’t focus on anything whilst I’m so worried about what is going on down on the thirteenth floor.

My mind plays out all kinds of scenarios, and none of them are good. I wish I could talk to Caleb about this, but it isn’t my story to tell.

Finally, I hear the keycard being inserted on the other side of the door. I leap up from the sofa, my heart in my throat.

The door opens, and Mason walks into the room. He looks exhausted, but as I study his face, I see something I didn’t expect flicker in his dark eyes.

Determination.

What does that mean? What is he determined about?

“Let me make one phone call,” Mason says before I can ask him anything. He taps his phone screen and puts it to his ear. “Gerrard. I just wanted to confirm the voicemail I just left you. I do want to transfer seven million pounds to my dad next week. I will work out the details with you, but I trust you to tell me which account we can draw from that makes the most financial sense. Thanks.”

I stare at him, stunned by what I just heard. Mason is transferring seven million pounds to his father?

He sets his phone on the table in the entryway, then turns around and leans against it, gazing across the room at me. “I just paid back my father’s investment, with interest,” he says matter-of-factly. “Because his involvement in my racing life is over. He will never have control over me ever again. This payment makes it final. I don’t owe him anything. My career is now for me.”

I go to him, trying to process what he just said. Of all the scenarios I pictured in my head, this wasn’t one of them.

“You were right,” Mason finally says. “About everything.”

I swallow against the lump forming in my throat. I never wished so badly to be wrong about anything like I am about Mason’s dad. “Do you want to talk about it?” I ask softly.

He exhales. “Yeah. I do. But only to you.”

Mason’s arms immediately wrap around my back, holding me close. I slide my own hands over his chest, feeling the beating of his heart through the linen fabric of his shirt.

“I went to his room, determined to have a real conversation. About everything. About the past. The future. How I wished we could just have a normal relationship. But right from the start, that is not the conversation my dad intended to have.”

I wait for him to continue. Mason closes his eyes for a second, then stares directly into mine. “From the moment I stepped into that hotel room, I was berated. For hanging up on him. Blocking him. I couldn’t even get a word out to apologise for that. He went on to tell me I’m ungrateful. That he spent millions backing my career, and I owe him everything. That I’m nothing without his backing. I’d be nothing if it weren’t for him.”

I bite down on my lower lip to keep from saying things about his dad. I’m furious, but I have to listen right now. Mason needs that more than my anger.

“He started railing on and on that he’ll never see a return on his investment. And then it finally hit me. That’s all I’ll ever be to him. His Formula 1 investment. The shiny toy he can brag about to others. It was never about wanting to do something for his son. It was about winning a championship for himself. And it was the perfect tool for him to play his sick game of controlling me. For so long, I held on to hope that if I could win a title, we’d come together. That he would be proud of me. But it’s never been about me,” Mason finishes, his voice cracking on the last word.

He drops his head to my shoulder, and I stroke the back of his head. I can tell he’s struggling not to cry, and I am, too. “You are a Formula 1 driver because of the way you drive,” I remind him. “That is all your hard work. Your ability. Your instincts. You are one of the best drivers in the world, and that’s because of you.”

We stay like that, holding each other, me comforting him. Finally, Mason stands back up. I watch as he swallows hard a few times, then clears his throat. “You were right,” he confesses, his voice rough. “He weaponised the investment against me. Dad was never going to hear me. He doesn’t care about how I feel. All he wants is a puppet he can control. I know it comes from how he grew up—Mum told me my grandfather had a cruel streak and held money over his head—but it doesn’t make it right or excuse it. It doesn’t mean I will follow that pattern.”

The tears are falling from my eyes now. “You’re already the exact opposite of that. You’re warm. Kind. You have made me feel so brave, Mason. You’ve supported me. Made me feel seen. And that’s the type of father you’ll be one day.”

Mason exhales in relief. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

I move my hands to his face again. “I’ll say it over and over to you because it’s true. You’re not your dad. Or your mum. Somehow, you’ve fought through all of that to become the man I love so much. I’m so grateful for you, Mason. Because I get to be loved by you. And you’re incredible.”