Calculated Risk ┃MV1

The picture hit social media before Gen could even finish her coffee.

A grainy shot. A hotel hallway. Max. Gen. Close enough that the tension was visible even in pixels.

The caption?

"Red Bull golden boy in a secret romance? Sources say mystery woman has ties to the team."

She stared at the image on her phone, heart pounding.

Across the room, her phone buzzed again. Multiple times. It didn't matter who was texting—Daniel, her assistant, a couple of PR officers—she could feel the heat building around her before anyone even said a word.

She needed air.

Ten minutes later, she was in one of the back offices of the paddock. Door locked. Hands on her knees. Breathing like she'd just finished a race of her own.

A quiet knock broke the silence.

Max.

"I saw it," he said, holding up his own phone with a grimace. "You okay?"

"No," she said honestly.

He crossed the room, kneeling in front of her. "Say the word. I'll make it go away."

She looked at him. Really looked.

"You can't," she said softly. "Not this one."

He hated it. She could see it in the way his jaw clenched, his hands twitching like he wanted to do something—fight someone. Shield her.

But she wasn't done falling yet.

Later that afternoon, Christian called her in.

The door closed with a dull click behind her, locking out the roar of the media zone. For a moment, it was just the two of them again—father and daughter, even if the world didn't know it.

He looked up from his laptop, eyes sharp. "You good?"

"No," she admitted again.

He pushed the laptop aside and leaned back, expression softening.

"They're starting to speculate," he said. "Some are wondering if you're a PR hire with too much access. Others are asking why Max looks at you like he's ready to rewrite his contract for you."

Gen flinched.

Christian stood and came around the desk, resting a hand gently on her shoulder. "We always knew this might happen. It was never going to stay secret forever."