69

                                    

                                          
"So you are telling me that you have no idea what tomorrow is?" Lando chased after Daniella as she made her way to give the interviews after the qualifying session.
                          
"Nope," she tried hard not to smile. "Besides the sprint race I don't recall anything else."
                          
Since last night Lando has been trying to know what Daniella has planned for his birthday and she has been pretending she forgot his birthday, which is driving him crazy.
                          
Lando looked disappointed but it soon disappeared when he caught a glimpse of Daniella trying not to smile.
                          
"I know you remember," he smiled as he threw his arm around her shoulder, ignoring the stares from everyone around them.
                          
"I seriously don't Lando," she replied.
                          
"I don't believe you," he playfully pulled her cheeks before both going their separate ways for their interviews.
                          
***
                          
"I love it," Daniella excitedly said as she looked at the photo of the birthday cake she ordered for her boyfriend. "And I know that he is going to love it as well."
                          
"Does he suspect anything?" Myra asked as they both entered the driver's room and closed the door.
                          
"Oh yes!," Daniella let out a laugh. "I tried to pretend that I forgot his birthday as long as I can but I guess he knows me too well."
                          
"And you are not good at lying," Myra added.
                          
Daniella nodded as she took a seat and let out a deep breath.
                          
They talked for a few minutes before a knock at the door interrupted their conversation.
                          
Myra went and opened the door.
                          
"Hey," Max looked at Daniella. "Can we talk...alone?"
                          
"Yeah sure," Daniella nodded. "Come in."
                          
Max stepped inside and Myra left them alone and closed the door.
                          
"What's up?" she stood up.
                          
"Is it true that you are going to Mercedes?" Max asked, looking serious and with a hint of disappoint.
                          
"Christian told you that?" Daniella huffed. She can already tell that Max didn't like the news.
                          
"Yes," he replied. "But why are you leaving? You had a very good contract with Red Bull for the next three years and you and I made a very good team."
                          
"I have my reasons Max," Daniella replied calmly.
                          
"Is the reason more money?" he looked directly in her eyes.
                          
Daniella could see the rising anger in him.
                          
"It's not about money," she huffed. "It's about...you know what, ask Christian. I am sure he managed to leave out the part why I am leaving."
                          
Max expression soften a little bit. Christian did left out the reason and just told him that his teammate is leaving and will drive for their rival next year.
                          
"What is going on?" he asked. "What are you not telling me? Did someone say something to you? Is it one of the engineers or.."
                          
"Max," Daniella cut in. "Christian is the issue, and also the fact that he said I will demoted to Alpha Tauri if I don't win the driver's championship this year...and he did bunch of other stuff which I don't want to talk about."
                          
Max was speechless, he didn't know how to respond. 
                          
"He didn't tell anything about the demotion..." Max looked shocked.