After another boring Christmas and Christmas Eve, the plane took off on time from Abu Dhabi on the evening of the 25th. Carlin had originally invited Dominik to his home for Christmas, but he politely declined.
As for Robert Shwartzman, since he would be continuing his journey with the Ferrari Driver Academy, he had already left with the team principals. Sticking to his habit of living in England for eight years, Dominik had a rather uneventful Christmas.
Watching the plane pull away from the ground, the lights of the UAE growing more distant, Dominik Corvinus felt that home was getting closer...
Six hours of flight passed in a flash.
Dominik was jolted awake by the landing. Although his family was certainly not short on money, most of the time Dominik would still choose economy class if there were no activities planned for the first day back home.
After getting off the plane, Dominik waited for his luggage, while simultaneously calling O'Connor and his parents.
O'Connor simply told him to rest well for the next two days, and that on the third day, he would need to go to Hungaroring to prepare for a track event. O'Connor, of course, knew the significance of the winter holidays in Hungary, so he stated that this would be the last event before the New Year celebrations.
His mother, Katalin, said nothing, only asking what gift he had brought for "The Empress." After learning that Dominik had brought back a scarf, she forwarded him the chat log that László, the butler, had sent her.
This chat log contained information about where the car was parked and where the keys were stored.
Dominik was speechless for a moment. Was she not going to send him the chat log if he hadn't brought her something back?
Following the instructions in the chat log, he found the bright yellow Abarth 695 in parking area 3C of Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, and the keys hidden in the exhaust pipe.
That was during the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, when Dominik saw an Abarth 695 on the road and thought it looked very good. He casually posted it on his social media with the caption "nice car," not expecting his mother to remember it.
Dominik reflected on his speechless attitude towards his mother for a second, then realized he couldn't reflect! Let me drive it first, he thought.
With the engine ignition, the unique Italian flair permeated from parking area 3C towards the Budapest Airport Expressway.
As he drove out of the parking lot, one or two fans recognized Dominik. After taking photos and signing autographs, he drove towards home.
Local fans are still polite. Some female fans abroad, whose behavior annoyed Dominik, fortunately, the non-competitive driving quickly pushed those unpleasant memories out of his mind.
Watching the traffic flow on Budapest's elevated highways, Dominik drove the Abarth 695 weaving through the cars. The already rare model, combined with the passionate driving style and exhaust note, led to quite a few car enthusiasts along the way pulling out their phones to record it.
Fortunately, there was privacy glass; otherwise, Dominik would most likely be trending tomorrow. Even though he wasn't speeding, Dominik knew that if someone like him, who was barely a public figure, had his face caught on camera, he would be in for it.
Not long after, the little 695 drove into a prestigious estate in Buda, one of the city's villa areas and Dominik's home in Budapest.
Parking and opening the door were not done in one go...
Did he think he was just walking into his own home? Dominik didn't have a key, so he had to ring the doorbell. Within a few seconds, the door opened. It was Aunt Erzsi, the nanny. Aunt Erzsi and László were a couple who had been working for the family for almost ten years, even before Little Dominik went to England to study racing.
"Oh my! It's the Young Master, the Young Master is back!" Aunt Erzsi took Dominik's luggage and turned to say, "Madam, the Young Master is back."
Katalin glanced at the doorway and said nothing, but that glance made Dominik say, "Your humble servant has returned to pay respects to the Empress."
It was then that Katalin beamed, smiling and saying, "Granted. Come in, and bring out the scarf for me to see." There was nothing he could do; who else would spoil his mother like this?
Because of his mother's personality, and her business acumen, she had his father, Gábor Corvinus, completely smitten for over 20 years, from their marriage until now.
Changing into slippers, Dominik watched his mother fiddle with the scarf he bought, then went upstairs to his room. After a year of traveling with the team, it was indeed his own little nest that was the most comfortable.
After putting away his suitcase and backpack, he had just laid down on the bed when something in his pants pocket poked him painfully. Dominik reached into his pocket and found it was the key to the 695.
Dominik suddenly realized that this was the first time his family hadn't made him hand over the car keys. Could it be that this car was his own? Dominik's face showed excitement. He knew this was his first car!
Accompanying the clang of the heavy door downstairs and Aunt Erzsi's knock, "Dinner, Young Master, the Master is back!"
Dominik pushed open his door and saw his father, who had just entered the house downstairs, dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase. The moment he saw his mother, his originally stern face immediately broke into a joyful smile. Gábor Corvinus, Chairman and CEO of Danube Shipping, a pure, capable elite in his 50s outside, was purely... a wife-slave at home.
Dominik couldn't help but sigh when he saw his father. He couldn't stand it; he felt his father's contrast was even stronger.
"Dad!"
Gábor looked up, "Oh? The driver knows how to come home? I only see you once or twice a year. Are you too busy with too many orders?" Dominik experienced two moments of speechlessness within half an hour of returning home.
Yes, his father's first words upon returning were also a "teasing," but the first meal with the family of three reunited was very pleasant.
After dinner, back in his room, Dominik took out his phone and called O'Connor. It was just after lunch in Hungary, so O'Connor should be at work, as agents do indeed live a life of early mornings and late nights.
Upon learning that he only needed to go to Hungaroring the day after tomorrow to participate in the Speed Festival, and symbolically drive a lap in a Williams 2014 Felipe Massa FW36 car for a demonstration lap before he could go home, Dominik also breathed a sigh of relief.
Dominik lay on the bed and suddenly let out a loud shout, stretching luxuriously. Much more comfortable...
But that shout startled Katalin and Gábor downstairs. They quickly went upstairs and pushed open the door, seeing Dominik perfectly fine, staring at the couple with a bewildered look. They couldn't help but scold him again.
After waking up from a nap, Dominik sighed, marveling at how long it had been since he had such a comfortable sleep. After all, even when it wasn't a race week, he had to constantly keep an eye on the time to use the Carlin team's simulator, just like a regular office worker, and there were also the various event announcements O'Connor had secured for him, as exposure was very important.
Dominik picked up his phone, and as he was about to open Instagram to scroll, he saw a series of notifications.
(3:27 PM Eszter: You're back? Dominikó)
(3:31 PM Eszter: Aren't you back? Where are you?)
(3:32-3:50 PM Eszter: "Are you there?" 99+)
This was Dominik's childhood friend, Eszter. They grew up in the same neighborhood. She was also a top student, having just been admitted to Eötvös Loránd University last year, preparing to inherit her family business.
Dominik replied, "Just got back. Have plans? You could just come find me."
Eszter replied instantly, "I wish, but your mother is too much trouble."
Dominik smiled helplessly. When they were little, all the kids in the neighborhood were afraid of his mother. Now they were 20, why were they still afraid? But then he thought about his mother's personality, and it was indeed true.
Dominik: "What's the plan? Are you taking me out to play? I want to eat something delicious, and you're paying."
Eszter: "OK, come out now, and we'll get ready to leave."