17 YEARS LATER

ANTHONY’S POV

"Yes, Mr Whitaker I will see you next week for the finalisation of the project," I told the man as we shook hands and stood up from the seating area of my office.

"Thank you, Mr Acland and I hope this partnership between our two companies is a success," he replied.

"Likewise." I walked him to the door of the office and then returned to my desk.

A large pile of paperwork was on the desk waiting for me to attend to. My workload was always crazy. I would handle that later, like on Monday." It was a Saturday after all.

My phone rang and I pulled it out. ’Mum.’ was written on the label.

"How are you darling, I hope you’re not busy right now?" my mother said.

"No, I just finished a meeting," I explained.

"Is the workload isn’t too much for you. you can call me if you need any help," she offered.

"I’m fine mum, thanks," I politely told her. Since I took over the company over a year ago from her, she went into retirement. She always asked me this but I was fine. Besides, she’d worked hard enough.

"Are you coming for the race this afternoon?" I asked her.

"Of course darling," she replied. "Emma’s excited to see you and Marco after all."

"I’m excited to see her too," I laughed.

"I’ll see you down at the team section," I asked.

"Yes, see you soon sweetie," she replied.

I ended the call and finished my work for the day. I finished at around noon and left the office. My car was waiting for me down by the entrance. I made my way to the F1 race stadium.

The company was now one of the official sponsors of the race.

Upon entering the stadium I went towards the the racing team prep areas. I went to the section for the team the Acland Group sponsored. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The pit grew was preparing the car. The driver had yet to arrive. With the race set start in half an hour he must be talking to the coach in the changing rooms.

I found my mother and Louis technically now my father already there. In my mother was a little girl who was beaming at the sight of me.

"Tony!" the little girl yelled and ran towards me.

"Emma!" I said excitedly and picked up my little sister and spun her around. She was already nine years old. She had green eyes like my mother and I but had Louis’s dark hair and tan skin.

"I missed you so much, you’re coming for my birthday party next week right

"Of course, I wouldn’t miss it for the world," I said as I put her down. "How old are you turning?" I asked.

"9!" she answered gleefully.

My smile widened. "Wow! Such a big girl already."

"Hehe! I hope Marco agrees to my birthday party too," she said.

"I’m sure he will."

My mother and Louis drew closer.

"How have you been darling?" my mother asked as she gave me a hug.

"Good, you?" I replied. Her tone of voice made it seem like we hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Just last weekend I went

I caught sight of the wedding band on her finger as we broke apart from the hug.

Louis had a similar one as he came in and hugged me too. "You good man?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Her and Louis married when I was 11. Three years after the ’incident’. Though he was technically my dad, he never told me to stop calling him Louis and so using his name just stuck.

Driver ready," one of the pit crew members yelled out. My family and I stopped talking as a figure walked into the pit crew area.

"That’s Marco!" Emma yelled out as he came towards us. He was dressed in the driving uniform jumpsuit. The Acland Group logo at the centre of of his uniform along with logos of other sponsors around it.

She jumped into his arms and gave the same line of questioning she’d given me. "So you’re coming you won’t be away again?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes," I promise Emma he laughed.

Marco was always away for racing tournaments. For the last two months he’d been in Europe. He just came from placing second at the Grand Prix in Monaco.

"I promise," he laughed.

My mother, Louis, and I greeted him and gave him words of encouragement for the race.

"Good luck out there," I said to him and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks," he replied.

He got in the race car and sat inside as his pit crew began the finishing touches.

"Shall we go and sit in our private booth?" I asked my parents.

They agreed and we made our way to it leaving the pit crew and Marco.

"Who’s your money on?" I heard someone ask along the way in the booth’s section. They were walking in a group.

"Marco Acland, he’s sure to win!" another in the group answered.

"Well my money is Charlie Leon." a third chimed in.

"Well that person is wrong Marco is obviously going to win!" Emma spat on angrily.

"I’m sure he will," I encouraged her.

From our booth we watched the line of cars at the start line and then the race soon commenced. The audience erupted in screams and shouts.

I recalled all the times I had gone go-karting with him when were younger. Marco took it so seriously. My mother and Louis decided to sponsor and support his dream.

By the time he was 19 he was already the most promising new F1 driver. His career had been an upward trajectory. He was one of the top 5 wealthiest F1 drivers in the world.

My family shouted and screamed as we supported Marco from the booth.

"And there you have it sixth time champion and the hottest F1 driver Marco Acland wins the race!" the presenter announced through the speakers.

I thought of how far we had come as a family. The events of the time when my uncle had kidnapped me were never truly. Moreover I felt there was something about my father’s death that my mother didn’t feel comfortable about.