( on screen interview with dakota mcmanus, alphatauri honda )

".....I'm done talking about what happened with charles. we've established by now that while we were both in the wrong, neither of us were in a relationship at the time. i did not cheat on yuki, and charles did not cheat on charlotte."

2022 Season

EMILIA - ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX

IMOLA, ITALY

THURSDAY - MEDIA DAY

The cool Italian air swept across the back porch of the AlphaTauri villa. While many of the team members were opting to stay at their own homes, with it being the team's home race, Jake Volkov thought that it would be fun for the team members to group together for a few nights and celebrate before the race.

Dakota McManus stood behind the barbecue, dressed in black jeans and a flowy floral top as she headbanged to Volcano Girls by Veruca Salt, turning dials on the barbecue and stoking the fire as she danced.

Carla Liang and Vanessa Xu were sitting with the team at the patio table behind the mechanic, cheering her on an raising their glasses of rose. The Drive to Survive team were scattered throughout, taking part in the barbecue as well as filming it. Nobody knew which stories were going to make it into the final cut, as there was something around every corner.

"So, Carly, where did Estie Bestie whisk you away to this time?" Dakota asked with a grin, taking a small sip from the bottle of Sprite that was next to the barbecue.

Carla Liang blushed as she put together one of the large microphones that the team used when they filmed to properly pick up audio clips. "He's not my boyfriend."

"You'll be a wag soon enough!" Mac laughed, ruffling the younger girl's hair. "Come on, first he brings you back to France to with him, now this?"

Carla rolled her eyes. "We haven't left the Emilia-Romagna." She turned to look at the camera man. "And don't you dare put that conversation in the final cut."

Laughing, Dakota walked over to Yuk's deck chair, leaning over the back to put her arms around him, kissing the top of his head.

"I love you." She mumbled contently, running her fingers through the driver's hair.

Yuki was about to say something back when his girlfriend's phone rang, Dakota excusing herself from the table to go and answer. She fleetingly glanced at the caller ID before speaking.

"Danny Ric, how are you, mate? It's a shame you couldn't come up to the villa. Checo was going to join us as well, but something came up so he ended up going back to the hotel. I was going to head out myself around nine, I want to sleep in my own bed tonight."

"Dakota," Daniel's voice was dead serious, something that Dakota wasn't used to hearing from the Aussie. "what happened in Baku last year?"

Her blood ran cold. "Baku? What do you mean what happened in Baku?"

"So you haven't seen the pictures yet?"

"Pictures?" Now she was starting to panic, unaware of the camera that were slowly turning to face her as Vanessa and Carla exchanged concerned looks, very similar to the looks being shared by Yuki and Pierre.

Daniel sucked in a breath. "Dakota, whatever you do, don't open any social media account right now. Please."

The mechanic didn't listen, clicking out of the call and opening her Instagram, a strangled sound escaping her throat when she looked at the pictures of her and Charles, in the midst of one of her most shameful and and regrettable moments as she fell to her knees, vaguely aware of Daniel trying to get her attention through the phone speaker, a bolt of pain splitting through her head, no doubt the start of a stress-related migraine.

"Mac!" Yuki shouted, running over to his lover, kneeling in front of her and resting his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

And Dakota just cried. She had no idea how to tell the love of her life that she had betrayed him in the worst way possible. How to tell him that even though they weren't together at the time, her heart always belonged to him, even if she had acted out and slept with Charles Leclerc instead.

"Yuki." Pierre said softly, gently pushing the rookie away. "Let me handle this." He turned to Dakota. "Cherie, can you talk to me."

"I've done something terrible, Pierre."

"Dakota!" Daniel's voice was quiet, but still audible as he kept trying to be heard over the commotion. "Dakota, is Vanessa with you? Can you put Vanessa on for me?"

Vanessa knelt down, afraid to get too close until Pierre told her it was okay, extricating the phone from the Australian's hand before retreating inside to talk to Daniel.

No doubt that she would have seen the still visible pictures when she took the phone.

No doubt that she would know what Dakota did.

"Stop fucking filming!" Carla shouted, attempting to block the cameras. "Can't you see that she's in distress?"

"Dakota, honey." Carolyn Paterson, Yuki's press consultant, came over to the young woman, Fabiana right behind her. "Why don't we go inside, Jake can deal with the barbecue."

Dakota just nodded, allowing Fabiana and Carolyn to help her up as Pierre went to talk to Yuki.

"What happened?' Yuki asked timidly, tears in his eyes from seeing Dakota that way, seeing the woman he loved in such a state.

Pierre sighed. "I think she had a panic attack of some kind. Whatever she saw while she was on the phone with Daniel had an affect on her."

"No shit." Jake Volkov grumbled from behind the two. "I just went on there myself, and it's really bad, boys. There are some ... pictures going around?"

Yuki's eyes went wide. "What kind of pictures, oh god, is she okay?"

"Not the kind you're thinking of, kid." There was sympathy in Jake's eyes.

"What kind of pictures, then?" Pierre asked shakily.

"Pictures of her and Charles that allege they slept together."