(Racing Hearts : VOLUME 3 )
Alexandra sat across from them with her legs crossed and her arms folded.
If she had glasses, she would’ve taken them off dramatically by now.
Charles and Mark sat side by side on the couch, suspiciously straight-backed. Leo was curled in Mark’s lap, blissfully unaware that his father was about to be interrogated like a criminal mastermind.
Alexandra exhaled slowly.
“First of all,” she began, voice calm in a way that was significantly more threatening than yelling, “why this late?”
“Well,” he leaned back, gesturing vaguely at the ceiling, “this fuckass of a writer can’t deal with his own shit and it reflects on our story. He promised the next chapter last year and here we are. The year changed but not his stupidity.”
Charles closed his eyes immediately.
Mark continued, gaining momentum.
“He just can’t let me have the attention of getting a good boyfriend for once. I fear his own love life is trash and he wants mine to be the same. I swear I’m gonna blast him if I ever see him.”
Leo lifted his head, mildly concerned by the sudden aggression.
Charles smacked Mark’s thigh affectionately.
“She meant late as in why we haven’t told our families yet, dumbass.”
A faint blush crept up his cheeks. He immediately looked down and started petting Leo with unnecessary focus.
Alexandra pinched the bridge of her nose.
“I thought you promised to tell your families on Christmas?”
Charles shifted slightly. “We did think of that.”
“It just—” Mark added, still avoiding eye contact, “it was rushed. We both had to make arrangements and stuff.”
“Yeah,” Alexandra nodded slowly. “Mark in Italy and you here, right?”
Charles and Mark exchanged a look.
Alexandra narrowed her eyes.
Mark cleared his throat. “Well. We celebrate it together.”
“Well,” Mark said carefully, “it’s been years now. Our families celebrate Christmas here. In Monaco.”
Charles scratched the back of his neck.
Alexandra leaned back slowly.
“Okay,” she said carefully. “So Christmas went like every other year.”
“And you want me to believe your families don’t know about your relationship?”
Charles hesitated. “They probably… have an idea.”
“I’m pretty sure my mom suspects something,” he admitted. “She keeps asking why Mark and I disappear at the same time after dinner.”
Alexandra turned to Mark.
Mark shrugged lightly. “I don’t exactly talk much about it.”
Her eyes widened. “Mark Spencer.”
“It’s not like we don’t talk,” he defended. “We were discussing business. Investments. Expansions. I couldn’t just be like, ‘By the way, I’m in love with my teammate.’ It didn’t feel like… the moment.”
Charles looked at him softly.
“You could’ve told them,” he said gently.
“I know.” Mark sighed. “I just wanted it to be right.”
The room fell quiet for a moment.
Leo shifted in Mark’s lap, tail flicking lazily.
Mark glanced at the clock on the wall and straightened.
Alexandra blinked. “We are in the middle of—”
“Routine is important,” Mark said wisely, standing up carefully so Leo wouldn’t fall. “Charles, can I take Leo?”
Charles nodded immediately. “He’ll cry if you don’t.”
Mark smiled softly at that.
He grabbed his cap and pulled it low over his curls, then added a mask — public figure precautions, even for a simple jog. He crouched slightly.
“Leo,” he said gently, “come on.”
Leo jumped down, trotting toward the door like he understood everything.
Mark reached for the handle.
The silence in the room shifted.
Watched the way he hesitated.
Watched the way he looked back at Charles.
And then she groaned dramatically.
Mark’s lips curved slowly.
He stepped back toward Charles, cupped his face gently, and kissed him — not rushed, not dramatic.
The kind of kiss that said I’ll see you in an hour but also you’re my home.
Charles smiled against his mouth.
“Be careful,” he murmured.
Mark leaned his forehead against his for a second.
He turned to Alexandra. “Bye, Alex.”
She pointed at him. “We’re not done.”
He slipped out the door, Leo padding happily beside him.
The room felt quieter without him.
Alexandra slowly turned her head toward Charles.
Charles was still staring at the door with that ridiculous soft expression.
Charles didn’t even deny it.
“I cannot believe I had to interrogate you two like this.”
Charles finally looked at her, amused. “You enjoyed it.”
“You’re really serious about him, aren’t you?”
Charles’ answer came without hesitation.
Alexandra studied him for a moment… then nodded.
“I CAN STILL HEAR YOU GUYS.”
Alexandra rolled her eyes.
And somewhere in the hallway, Leo barked like he agreed.
After Mark left, the room fell into a very suspicious silence.
Charles sat back against the couch, hands folded loosely in his lap, still wearing that faint smile from the goodbye kiss.
Across from him, Alexandra was staring.
Charles noticed after a few seconds.
Alexandra leaned forward slowly, grabbing a pillow and placing it on her lap like she was about to conduct a televised interview.
“So,” she said casually, “tell me, Charles… how’s sex with Mark?”
Charles choked on absolutely nothing.
“ALEX!” His voice cracked. “You can’t just ask that out of nowhere!”
She shrugged. “Oh, come on. With a guy like Mark? Of course I need information.”
She tilted her head. “Aren’t gay guys like—”
“Okay, first of all,” Charles cut in immediately, flustered and scandalized, “stop with the stereotypes and weird questions. And second — STOP eyeing my boyfriend.”
“Well. You still didn’t answer my question.”
Charles’ face was now fully red.
He looked anywhere but at her — the ceiling, the carpet, the curtains, Leo’s empty dog bed. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
“We, uh… we haven’t exactly done it yet.”
Alexandra nearly dropped the pillow.
“YOU HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR LIKE SIX MONTHS.”
He raised his hands defensively. “The most we’ve done is kissing and, well— other stuff but not… that.”
Alexandra stared at him like she’d just discovered a glitch in reality.
“We don’t get enough time together,” Charles muttered. “For example, this Christmas? Lorenzo walked in on us.”
Her eyes widened. “WHAT.”
“It was just kissing,” he said quickly. “But still. Awkward.”
“And Mark has like a million things going on. Racing. Practice. His business. Movie shoots. Charity work. Meetings. He barely sleeps.”
Alexandra softened slightly.
“But he still gives most of his time to me,” Charles added quietly. “He’s… overly romantic.”
He looked down at his hands.
“And him still living in Italy doesn’t help.”
Alexandra nodded slowly. “Yeah. That must suck. You here. Your boyfriend in another country.”
Charles’ jaw tightened slightly.
“…Yeah. I really want him to move to Monaco.” He sighed. “This sucks.”
Alexandra shrugged. “Well. The only thing sucking is the situation.”
Charles turned to her slowly.
He shook his head in disbelief.
After a moment, he leaned back.
“Christmas was… something.”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh, tell me everything.”
FLASHBACK — Christmas Dinner
The long dining table was glowing under soft golden lights.
On one side: Pascale, Lorenzo, Arthur, and Charles.
On the other: Isabella, Alessandro, and Mark.
It had become tradition over the years — both families celebrating together in Monaco.
The wine was flowing. The laughter easy.
Isabella smiled warmly at Charles. “You’ve done so much this year. Hosting, organizing everything… it’s lovely.”
Pascale nodded proudly. “He always overdoes it.”
Then Isabella added sweetly, “Your future partner will be so lucky.”
Pascale immediately agreed. “Very lucky.”
Charles choked on his wine.
Arthur physically bit his lip to stop from laughing.
Lorenzo kicked him hard under the table.
Alessandro raised an eyebrow. “Everything alright?”
Mark, perfectly composed, smiled.
Arthur lost it and had to pretend he was coughing.
Back in the present, Alexandra was wheezing with laughter.
Charles groaned. “It was traumatic.”
“She basically announced it at the table!”
“They definitely know,” Charles admitted. “They just want us to say it.”
Alexandra shook her head. “Parents are terrifying.”
They continued talking — about the little things. The stolen glances at dinner. The way Arthur kept grinning. The way Isabella watched them like she was solving a puzzle she already knew the answer to.
Mark stumbled in, slightly out of breath, holding Leo under one arm.
He was flushed, sweaty, curls damp, shirt clinging very unfairly to his chest and abs.
Charles stopped breathing.
Alexandra smacked his arm. “You’re drooling.”
“I just got chased by fans,” Mark announced dramatically. “I don’t even know how they recognized me.”
Charles raised an eyebrow. “Probably because this gentleman wasn’t exactly undercover.”
“That explains why the cashier recognized me.”
Alexandra and Charles froze.
“…Cashier?” they asked at the same time.
“Weren’t you on a jog?” Alexandra added suspiciously.
“Well. I saw this beautiful bakery on the way and, uh…”
He lifted several shopping bags proudly.
“Mark. That is a bag from a jewelry store.”
“Oh yeah.” He nodded casually. “I’m going to Italy tonight so…”
He walked toward Charles and pulled out a sleek rectangular box.
Charles didn’t look shocked — Mark loved giving “small” gifts for absolutely no reason.
Inside was a minimal, elegant bracelet. Silver. Clean. Subtle. Very Mark.
“I wanted to,” Mark replied simply.
Then he turned to Alexandra.
“Oh, don’t worry, Your Highness. I got something for you too.”
He handed her a small velvet pouch.
Inside — a delicate chain with a sleek pendant.
“Charming. The word is charming.”
Charles slid the bracelet onto his wrist, eyes soft.
And for a second, in the quiet between jokes and chaos, something warm passed between them.
Alexandra watched them carefully.
“…You two are disgustingly in love.”
Leo barked again — as if confirming it.
And this time, no one argued.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark’s hotel room looked like a clothing store had exploded.
Suitcases open. Shirts half–folded. Shoes scattered near the door. A charger tangled with headphones. A jacket draped over a chair like it had given up on life.
Charles stood in the middle of the chaos with the focused expression of a man who had accepted a difficult mission.
Behind him, Mark sat on the bed, completely unbothered.
On the couch, Alexandra lounged comfortably while Leo rested beside her, happily accepting the endless head scratches she was giving him.
Charles held up a random shirt from the suitcase.
“Why the fuck do you carry so much stuff when you know you're travelling almost every consecutive day?”
Mark barely looked up from his phone.
He just gave a smug little smile.
Charles stared at him in disbelief.
“You packed three jackets.”
“They’re different vibes.”
“You packed two hair dryers.”
“You packed— Mark this is literally a scented candle.”
Charles pinched the bridge of his nose.
Mark stretched lazily across the bed.
“You’re overthinking it,” he said casually. “Just shove it all inside.”
Alexandra’s hand froze mid–pet on Leo.
She slowly turned her head.
Charles didn’t notice immediately, still fighting with a stubborn zipper.
“Don’t you dare complain about me being organized,” Charles said defensively. “Mr. ‘everything must be perfect.’”
Mark shrugged. “Perfection is a lifestyle.”
Alexandra snorted quietly into Leo’s fur.
She knew they were flirting.
They probably didn’t even realize how obvious it was anymore.
The room slowly settled into a quiet rhythm.
Mark had now completely abandoned helping.
He was laying on the bed sideways, elbow propped up against the mattress, head resting in his hand.
And he was staring at Charles.
Seven full minutes had passed.
Alexandra noticed around minute two.
Charles finally felt the weight of it.
His ears were already a little pink from the earlier teasing.
He glanced over his shoulder.
His grin widened slightly.
Then he asked, very calmly,
“Did I ever tell you how beautiful and handsome you are?”
Leo stopped moving and slowly turned his head like he sensed a shift in the universe.
He stared at Mark like he was waiting for the punchline.
Mark kept looking at him with that same soft, ridiculous expression.
“Holy fucking shit, you’re unreal.”
Charles’ brain short–circuited.
Mark shook his head slightly like he genuinely couldn’t believe it.
“Why are you this fucking perfect?”
Charles’ stomach flipped violently.
His heart started racing and he had no idea what to do with his hands anymore.
Mark tilted his head slightly, still studying him.
“You’re like your sunset lap. Perfect.”
Charles’ brain stopped functioning entirely.
Alexandra’s jaw had dropped.
That was — without question — the most romantic thing she had ever heard in her life.
Leo rotated his head again like he was trying to process it too.
Mark casually sat up and went back to packing his suitcase.
Like he hadn’t just launched a nuclear-level compliment into the room.
Charles and Alexandra slowly looked at each other.
Alexandra gave him a small smirk.
A very clear yeah… he’s good for you look.
Charles immediately looked away again, trying to hide how red his face had become.
Mark zipped the suitcase.
“I think that’s it,” he said simply.
“Charles, remove your hoodie.”
Charles’ face turned red instantly.
Alexandra’s brain went to the worst possible place.
She jumped up from the couch.
She grabbed Leo and dramatically covered his eyes.
“ME AND LEO ARE STILL HERE.”
Leo blinked in confusion.
Then realization hit him.
He pointed at Charles quickly.
“No, no, I mean I need something to keep reminding me of him.”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
Alexandra slowly lowered her hands from Leo’s eyes.
Charles looked down at the oversized hoodie he was wearing.
His heart did that stupid thing again.
Charles pulled the hoodie off and tossed it at him.
Mark caught it instantly and, without hesitation, buried his face into the fabric for a second.
Alexandra gasped dramatically.
“Oh my God you two are disgusting.”
Mark just folded the hoodie carefully and placed it at the very top of his suitcase.
Like it was the most important thing in there.
Dinner arrived in several neatly packed containers.
Mark had ordered way too much food — pasta, grilled vegetables, garlic bread, some random dessert he insisted they had to try. The smell filled the hotel room quickly, cutting through the faint scent of laundry detergent and Mark’s cologne.
They ate on the small coffee table.
Alexandra sat cross-legged on the couch.
Charles sat on the floor leaning against the couch.
Mark was on the floor across from them.
Leo had fallen asleep halfway through dinner, curled up like a fuzzy loaf beside Alexandra.
For a few minutes, the room was quiet except for forks clinking against containers.
But Charles wasn’t really eating.
Still thinking about the compliment from earlier.
Alexandra noticed almost immediately.
She smirked but stayed quiet, watching the scene unfold like a proud spectator.
Mark took another bite of pasta and looked up.
He kept staring for another second.
“You’re hiding something.”
Mark immediately choked on his food.
Alexandra almost applauded.
Mark coughed violently and grabbed water.
“What— I’m not hiding any—”
“Liar,” Charles cut him off.
Charles kept looking at him with that annoyingly accurate expression — the one that meant I know you too well.
Mark sighed dramatically.
He set his food container down on the table.
Charles and Alexandra slowly did the same.
Mark leaned back and looked around the room.
Then he rubbed the back of his neck.
“So I’ve been thinking about getting citizenship in Monaco.”
Alexandra’s eyebrows shot up.
Mark continued quickly before either of them could speak.
“Like— moving to Monaco permanently.”
“Not moving in with Charles,” he added quickly. “Just… living in the same country.”
He glanced down at his hands.
“But I don’t want to rush things with us.”
“I know it’s been like… three volumes of this book already,” he muttered, half joking. “But I still want to make sure you actually want this.”
“So if you guys are okay with it…”
Charles and Alexandra looked at each other.
A full silent conversation immediately started.
He knows me.
Charles’ eyes said.
Alexandra’s eyes widened.
OH MY GOD he is perfect for you.
Charles shrugged slightly.
It’s like he can read through me and always knows what I want.
Alexandra leaned forward slightly.
Dude kiss him before I do.
They both turned back toward Mark.
“…You know I can understand you guys, right?” Mark said.
Charles coughed awkwardly.
Charles leaned forward slightly.
Mark didn’t even hesitate.
He leaned forward and kissed him.
Alexandra gagged dramatically in the background.
“I just want to spend more time with you,” he told Charles quietly.
Mark then casually pulled out his phone.
“I’ll just message Signore Lazzaro.”
Charles frowned slightly.
“To finalize the paperwork.”
“…You already planned it?”
Alexandra leaned forward slowly.
“You already planned this.”
Charles narrowed his eyes.
Mark sighed like he had been caught.
“I also already bought the house.”
“…WHAT?” Charles and Alexandra said together.
“It’s like five to ten minutes away from Charles’ place.”
Alexandra stared at him like she was witnessing a billionaire in the wild.
“You just casually bought a house.”
“Technically a mansion,” Mark corrected.
Charles rubbed his temples.
Then he sighed and stretched.
“So when I come back from Italy…”
“…I’ll be bringing all my stuff.”
He grabbed another piece of garlic bread.
Alexandra slowly turned to Charles.
“…Your boyfriend just relocated countries for you.”
Charles was still processing.
Mark casually kept eating.
“…The garlic bread here is really good.”
Morning light spilled through the tall windows of the Spencer estate’s kitchen.
The room itself looked less like a kitchen and more like something out of a palace — marble counters, gold accents, a massive wooden dining table in the center, and windows overlooking acres of gardens.
At the table sat Isabella Spencer, sipping her coffee calmly.
Across from her, Alessandro Spencer was reading the morning newspaper while also sipping coffee with the intense focus of a man who took both caffeine and headlines very seriously.
Behind them, standing quietly with his usual professional posture, was Signore Lazzaro.
Then footsteps echoed from the hallway.
Hair messy. Shirt slightly wrinkled. Walking like someone whose brain had not fully booted up yet.
He stretched lazily as he walked in.
He kissed his mother on the head.
Then did the same to his father.
Then nodded politely to the man standing behind them.
“Good morning, Signore Lazzaro.”
“Good morning, sir,” Lazzaro replied politely, hiding a small smile.
Mark dropped into the chair at the table like gravity had personally pulled him down.
Alessandro flipped a page of the newspaper.
“Signore Lazzaro informed me you’re moving to Monaco.”
Mark, still halfway asleep, nodded.
“Thought it would be better for the business.”
Isabella and Alessandro exchanged a quiet look.
Neither commented immediately.
They simply returned to sipping their coffee.
Then Isabella spoke gently.
Mark hummed absentmindedly.
“What’s so special about Monaco?” she asked.
Mark, still leaning forward with his head resting on his elbows, answered without thinking.
Alessandro immediately sprayed coffee across the newspaper.
Isabella dropped her cup.
Mark’s brain woke up instantly.
He stood up so fast the chair tipped backwards — and he tripped over it.
He fell flat on his back.
The house staff immediately moved forward.
“I’m fine,” Mark said quickly, scrambling up like nothing happened.
Signore Lazzaro was already handing him napkins.
Mark grabbed them and started cleaning the table in panic mode.
His parents stayed seated.
Alessandro wiped coffee off his mouth.
“Can you not drop nuclear bombs while I have my mouth full?”
Mark aggressively wiped the spilled coffee.
Behind him, one of the housemaids tried to step forward to help.
Isabella lifted her hand calmly.
She watched her son continue cleaning.
“…Okay so clearly you two were not meant to find out like this.”
He finished cleaning and sat back down slowly.
Now both Isabella and Alessandro had their arms folded.
Which was never a good sign.
“Okay so… I met this guy.”
He quickly raised a finger.
He looked at them carefully.
“So I need you two to trust me on this.”
His parents looked at each other.
A silent exchange passed between them.
“Well… it must be serious.”
“This is the first time we are hearing about this man from you,” she said calmly, “and not from an internet rumor.”
Mark rubbed his neck awkwardly.
“Okay in my defense… you two intimidate everyone.”
Behind them, Signore Lazzaro almost smiled.
Alessandro leaned forward slightly.
“Oh. He’s actually very close to me.”
Another glance between the parents.
Isabella widened her eyes dramatically.
“Charles as in Charles… Leclerc?”
“And my boyfriend of six months.”
His parents pretended to be shocked again.
“…Why do I feel like you’re acting.”
The conversation continued for a while — mostly Isabella asking questions and Alessandro quietly observing.
Eventually Mark stood up.
“Well… that went better than expected.”
As he turned to leave, Alessandro said casually,
Then he left the kitchen.
The moment he disappeared down the hallway, Isabella and Alessandro looked at each other.
“…He really thought we didn’t know,” Alessandro said.
Meanwhile, walking down the hallway, Mark thought to himself:
Yeah… they definitely knew.
Pascale Leclerc placed her phone on the table.
Charles was sitting across from her.
He immediately knew he was in trouble.
He glanced down at the phone.
It was a photo he had sent her earlier.
Someone was very clearly visible.
Someone who Charles absolutely had not noticed when he sent the photo.
Pascale looked at him calmly.
Charles’ heart started beating faster.
And remembered Mark’s voice.
“There’s no need to rush things with us, Charlie.”
“Just know I’ll always support your decision.”
“And I’ll always love you.”
Then opened his eyes and looked at his mother.
Pascale’s expression softened instantly.
Like she had been waiting to hear that.
“And I like that someone a lot,” Charles admitted quietly.
“Do they make you happy?”
His brain short-circuited.
He slowly turned to Arthur, who was sitting on the other couch eating chips.
Arthur shook his head quickly.
Charles looked even more confused.
He closed his eyes again briefly.
“…So they happen to be a he.”
“Mark,” Pascale said calmly.
“I DID NOT!” Arthur yelled back.
“CALM DOWN,” Pascale said.
She looked at Charles gently.
“I mean… you two have been pretty obvious.”
Pascale shrugged lightly.
Arthur added, “The texting.”
“The Christmas reactions,” Pascale added.
“The way you both almost died at dinner,” Arthur said.
Charles sat there, completely stunned.
Then he suddenly stood up and hugged his mother tightly.
“I’m happy for you,” she said softly.
After a while, Charles sat back down.
“Oh… also Mark is moving to Monaco.”
“Yes. I’ve been informed.”
She picked up her coffee again.
Arthur burst out laughing.
And somewhere in Italy, Mark sneezed suddenly for no reason.
