Chapter Text
At thirty, Harvey had what people called a dream life.
An internationally known Formula 1 driver, living in Monaco most of the time, though he often returned to his condo in New York. And mostly, he was insanely wealthy — living a life of pure luxury s the number one driver of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team was charismatic, the leader of his team, idolized by every speed enthusiast and admired by countless women who cared less about the cars and more about his looks.
Always finishing on the podium for several years now, the driver was not only exceptionally talented but also an icon of modern Formula 1. Proof of that? Harvey was often compared to his idols — Ayrton Senna for his talent and Lewis Hamilton for his aura. Tall, with dirty-blond hair swept to the side, a sculpted jaw, deep chocolate-brown eyes, and a devastating smile — Harvey was as handsome as he was elegant.
Constantly followed by the press and fans, whenever he wasn’t on track in full racing gear, every one of his appearances was carefully curated. A Tom Ford three-piece suit, polished dress shoes, hair neatly styled to the side — he was flawless. On top of being talented, the young driver had mastered communication and gave very few personal interviews, which only added to the mysterious aura his fans were obsessed with. That day, as he ran relentlessly on the treadmill in his New York apartment, he abruptly stopped when his phone rang and his manager’s name appeared on the screen.
« Jessica? »
« Hello Harvey, I’m not waking you up, am I? »
« Nope. I’m busy running at home, you know — maintaining my muscular body » chuckled the young man.
« Alright, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that — anyway, in two days there’s going to be a charity gala in downtown Manhattan combining art and racing »
« And how does that concern me? »
« Your car will be displayed, and some of your suits, helmets, and that kind of stuff will be auctioned to raise money for a charity. And I’ll also remind you that, as Aston Martin’s golden boy, you’re the one representing the team to the world »
« What exactly am I supposed to do? »
« The usual. You show up, make an appearance, shake a few hands, smile at a couple of rich investors to drive the bids up, and then you can leave »
« Alright then. Send me the info and I’ll be there »
« Perfect. See you, Harvey »
« Bye, Jessica »
The moment he hung up, Harvey sighed.
He hated these kinds of events as much as he loved them.
They were what made his heart race outside the track — seeing people look at him with admiration, the euphoric energy around him, the fans, the alcohol, the money, all those things that made him feel like he wasn’t a failure the way he had so often felt growing up. He was Harvey goddamn Specter — the triple world champion driver at barely thirty years old. He had a reputation for being cold, unbeatable, arrogant, but also charismatic — a media icon who sometimes felt more like a rock star than an athlete.
And yet…
The Harvey the media saw was far from who he truly was.
Originally, Harvey had been just a little boy with a normal life — two parents still together, a small house in Boston, a brother, friends at school — and yet, he had always felt alone. His father was constantly on tour, missing most of the important moments in his life, while his mother was present but always seemed somewhere else. So Harvey grew up with this deep sense of loneliness despite always being surrounded by people — until everything exploded during his teenage years.
He had always loved race cars — along with baseball, they were the two passions he shared with his father. He still remembered how impatiently he used to wait for his father to come home so they could watch certain Formula 1 races together on TV. But while racing had once only been a shared passion, things changed when, at eight years old, Gordon — trying to make up for missing his son’s birthday — took Harvey go-karting at a track not far from their house.
It was love at first sight for the young boy.
From that moment on, whenever Gordon missed something important or fucked up once again, he would take his son karting. And whenever Lily felt like she couldn’t reach the angry, sometimes uncontrollable young Harvey anymore, she took him karting too — the only thing that could guarantee a smile at the end of the day. So what started as a passion quickly became an escape, until the day he was spotted by a recruiter for Italian Formula 4.
If he had hesitated at first to sacrifice everything for racing at only sixteen years old, discovering his mother’s affair — and her asking him to keep it a secret — was what finally made him leave. Very quickly, he built himself a reputation: an aggressive but intelligent driver with nerves of steel. For nearly three years, until he was nineteen, he raced in Formula Junior before moving up to Formula 2 at barely twenty-one years old, becoming champion of the category at just twenty-two.
Quickly known for his clean overtakes and his calmness under pressure, he was recruited into Aston Martin’s young driver program — the very team he had always dreamed of. He entered Formula 1 at twenty-three, first as a rookie, finishing on the podium in his very first season, before rising through the ranks and claiming his first world title at twenty-six. He was young, passionate — but what truly set him apart was his rage, his love for danger, and above all, the feeling that he had nothing left to lose.
At thirty, he was a triple world champion with a reputation for being unbeatable on fast circuits and executing flawless race strategies. The unquestioned leader of his team. And yet, in private, it was a completely different story.
Insomnia. Panic attacks. Sleeping pills. The secret fear of dying on the track and having no one there for him when it happened. The feeling that everything he touched was temporary. The fear of committing to someone only to have his heart broken. Of being abandoned. Betrayed. Of being seen as a bad person — the way he believed he had been a bad son and a cowardly brother. So when everything became too much, he drove faster and faster, the adrenaline helping him forget his problems for a moment. And when he wasn’t driving, whiskey did the trick — helping him finally fall asleep when his demons grew too loud.
Lost in his thoughts, Harvey was pulled back to reality when his phone buzzed again and Jessica’s instructions appeared on the screen.
Tuesday, 8 PM. Plaza.
Alright then.
Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Donna Paulsen could feel a migraine coming on.
It was only nine in the morning, and she already felt like she had spent the entire day on the phone. Then again, it was to be expected. A job like this came with a lot of responsibility — and right now, she was the only one who could answer all these requests. After all, there were only two days left before the event.
Donna was only twenty-six, and yet she held one of the highest positions at Apex Arts Foundation as Director of International Artistic Projects.
The organization she worked for was a private foundation based in New York with branches all over the world — London, Paris, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. Their goal was to create projects that blended art with cutting-edge industries such as automotive, watchmaking, and luxury, always with a charitable purpose behind them.
The job made the redhead proud — and honestly, she had every right to be. She imagined and developed exhibitions, immersive installations, and unique performances. She led teams, managed projects across multiple continents — mostly remotely, but sometimes on-site. She negotiated with luxury brands, automotive companies, and ultra-wealthy investors. She designed galas, auctions, and prestigious events that highlighted humanitarian and charitable causes — and all of that before even turning thirty.
Still, even though the job gave her the satisfaction she had hoped for, it wasn’t at all what she had originally planned.
« Donna? »
« Hmm? »
« Are you listening? »
« Sorry, Rach, my mind wandered for a second. Go ahead »
« I just got confirmation from Jessica Pearson that that famous Aston Martin driver will be there at the gala »
« What’s his name again? »
« Harvey Specter? Wait — you’re not serious. You don’t know who Harvey Specter is? »
« I don’t watch Formula 1 » chuckled the redhead.
« Neither do I, but everyone knows who Harvey Specter is. The super sexy F1 driver who’s always on the front page of tabloids? Everybody’s heard of him »
« Trust me, with the amount of work I have, I don’t exactly have time to care about tabloids or Formula 1 drivers. Come on — we still have a lot to do »
Without another word, Donna and her assistant Rachel Zane dove back into organizing the gala as the brunette continued to make a few comments about the famous sexy driver while the redhead simply dreamed of the event finally being over. Surrounded by the calm of their Midtown office, Donna drifted back into her thoughts — and into her current life.
Donna’s dream had always been to become an actress. And while she had fought tooth and nail to make it happen, she had to admit that losing her father’s fortune at sixteen had forced her to rethink everything. She wanted a wealthy life, to experience things, to travel — and theater wouldn’t allow her to live comfortably from her art. So when it came time for college, she had to make a choice: risk pursuing a degree in performing arts and probably struggle her whole life chasing her dream role while juggling small jobs — or find something that would allow her to live while staying connected to her passion for art.
So she planned everything down to the smallest detail.
She began with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History at Yale, graduating summa cum laude with a specialization in contemporary art and art & technology. Then she joined the interdisciplinary program at the Yale School of Drama, completing additional studies in dramaturgy, artistic project production, and creative direction. That double background allowed Donna to stand out thanks to her unusually versatile expertise. So she became an assistant artistic production coordinator for theater companies between New York and London, quickly moving into coordinating logistics for international projects thanks to her fast learning in the field.
At just twenty-two, she was noticed by Apex Arts Foundation for her ability to manage large-scale projects and her advanced knowledge of the arts. The foundation offered her the role of International Project Manager, which allowed her to secure her first projects in Europe, then in Asia and the Middle East. Thanks to her hard work and proven talent, she kept climbing the ranks as for the past year, she had held the position of Director of International Artistic Projects.
Still, even though she was the youngest director in the foundation’s history — known for her discretion, efficiency, and elegance — Donna had to admit the role required many sacrifices. And among them, it was mostly her personal life that suffered.
« Any news from Mitchell? » asked Rachel.
« After he dumped me because my job took up too much of my time? Not really, no »
« I’m sorry, Donna »
« It’s fine. I knew it would happen eventually. And honestly… with Mitchell, I was missing that… I don’t know… that fire inside »
« He was bad in bed, right? »
« Oh my God, Rach »
As the two women laughed, they decided to take a short break to clear their heads before tackling the rest of the planning ahead of them.
The next two days passed quickly.
As the charity gala was about to begin, Donna made one last round through the grand ballroom — everyone around her was running in every direction — but she wasn’t. She remained calm, checking the schedule: the opening of the doors, the speeches, the auctions. She reviewed security, hostesses, catering — reminding everyone of the basic rules.
About half an hour later, when the first guests began arriving, she initially stayed in the shadows, observing the flow and coordination. Then she started greeting patrons, artists, and wealthy donors, strategically addressing each of them by their first name. She checked on the press, firmly redirecting a journalist who was trying to sneak into a room that wasn’t open yet — until she suddenly felt the atmosphere around her shift.
She was busy and didn’t immediately look toward the entrance, but she could sense the agitation spreading through the room. Loud voices turned into murmurs.
Then she looked up.
And for the first time, she saw him.
And her heart started racing.