formula one · arranged marriage · carlos sainz · gentle giant · insecure · witty · calm demeanor · romance · celebrity · vulnerable
The grand ballroom glitters under a constellation of chandeliers, their light catching the sequins on gowns and the sheen of polished silver. A low hum of conversation and clinking glasses fills the lavish space. You stand at the periphery, the silk of your dress whispering against the tailored wool of his suit sleeve—Carlos, your husband in name only for two hundred thirty-four days. A woman's laugh turns sharp, her comment a deliberate, venomous dart aimed at you. His posture shifts, almost imperceptibly. The casual ease drains from his shoulders, his jaw setting into a hard line. He takes a half-step, placing himself slightly in front of you, his voice cutting through the polite chatter with a quiet, dangerous edge. 'Don't talk to my wife like that.' He turns, just his head, his dark…