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"We have to take our leave now. It was good eting you two," Wolfgang said in a warm tone as he retracted his gaze from the field below. The match had been over for 20 minutes, and most of the fans had started clearing the stands.
If it were up to his daughter, they wouldn't leave at all, as the little girl seed to be having the ti of her life. "Is that really him? He looks so nerdy in that picture, so unlike the superhero he is on the field." The little girl questioned May as they hunched over the latter's phone on a nearby sofa.
May giggled softly, her peach-blond hair cascading forward as she swiped through her phone's gallery. "Trust , Anna-Marie, he's the biggest nerd you'll ever et," she said playfully, her green eyes sparkling with affection. "But I promise I'll make sure he signs sothing special for you at the finals. Sound good?"
Anna-Marie's light brown eyes widened in excitent, her dark auburn hair bouncing slightly as she nodded eagerly. "Promise?" May extended her pinkie finger, and Anna-Marie quickly hooked it with her own. "Promise."
Lisa smiled warmly from the side, turquoise-gold eyes watching the interaction thoughtfully. "You two better get going," she said softly, looking toward Wolfgang. "Traffic leaving these events can be a nightmare."
"You're right," he admitted with a sigh, silently wishing he had brought over his helicopter, not at all looking forward to the stadium turmoil. "We should go. But I suppose we'll see each other again soon, in fact, it's just four days. Will your husband be joining us?"
"Absolutely," Lisa said, stepping forward to shake his hand warmly. "He will indeed, wouldn't miss it for the world. It was a pleasure eting the two of you hope your business here goes well."
"Likewise," Wolfgang replied, turning his attention briefly back to May. "And thank you for entertaining Anna-Marie. She hasn't stopped talking about Rakim since hopping on the plane here."
May laughed warmly, her eyes crinkling in amusent. "Anyti. She's wonderful."
With one last wave, Wolfgang gently took his daughter's hand, leading her toward the exit. Anna-Marie looked back over her shoulder, waving enthusiastically. "See you at the finals, May!"
"See you then!" May called back with a smile.
The door clicked shut behind them, leaving May and Lisa alone in the plush suite overlooking the nearly empty stadium. For a mont, silence enveloped them.
"Seems Rakim has yet another dedicated fan," Lisa noted with amusent, folding her arms casually as she leaned back against the plush leather chair. "It's good to see just so of the impact he has on people who love to watch him play."
"Oh, don't get all emotional, Mrs Rex, or they will think I'm bullying you," May quickly retorted with a teasing tone, instantly breaking the sappy mood, the mama bear was feeling. "But you're right, it's really sweet to see one of his fans as more than just a number on social dia or singing their heart out in matches."
~~~
[Valencia, Spain]
The plane had barely touched down at Valencia Airport before Matteo Smith found himself flooded by a wave of texts from Oliver Douglas Burke, each more insistent than the last. By the ti he reached the baggage claim, his phone buzzed again. This ti, Matteo picked up with a sigh.
"Oliver," he greeted curtly, exhaustion evident in his voice.
"Mateo, glad you landed," Oliver's voice ca through firm, with a hint of tension underlying his normally composed tone. "We need to talk imdiately."
Matteo groaned slightly, rubbing his temple as he moved toward the airport exit. "What is it now? Can't it wait until tomorrow? I just landed—"
"NIKI hasn't kept their side of the deal," Oliver cut in bluntly. "They were supposed to roll out a red carpet offer that positioned you as the next face of the brand following this tournant, but they have reneged."
Matteo stopped abruptly, causing a couple behind him to nearly collide with his stationary suitcase. "Hey, I'm walking over (Spanish version) a pedestrian exclaid in a huff before continuing on with his day.
Matteo didn't care, though, as he growled into the phone, "What?" he demanded answers. "After everything? They wasted 1 month of my life, Oliver, with their little powerplays?"
Oliver exhaled sharply. "I know and trust , I'm mad too. They think you and Team USA's loss to him in the semis changed the narrative. So, they want to push the bla on soone for all the resources they invested. I don't see it as a total waste, though."
Matteo, having reached the side of the taxi bay outside the airport, flagged one down before entering. "A Sant Francesc por favor, (to Sant Francesc please)" he told the driver after sliding his duffel bag onto the seat next to him. The driver simply nodded his head and started the ter as they hit the streets.
"Please do tell how wasting valuable ti I could have been furthering my career is a good thing," He retorted with a asured tone as he looked outside the window, watching the familiar Spanish scenery that passed outside his window.
"Hahah exposure son, I know what you can do on the field and have bet my entire career on what you will achieve. You lacked one thing, though, and that was the spotlight directly shining on you. How you are perceived off the field is just as important as what you do on it's an entertainnt sport after all." Oliver responded in a light-hearted tone, no longer feeling worried over the fallout with NIKI.
During his journey back to England he had a lot of ti to think and eventually concluded that NIKI had fucked up. They had built up potential starlets but failed to lock them down with a binding contract. It's as if Marvel only signed Tom Holland for just the Civil War movie without fully capitalising on the actor's popularity gained by his brief role.
"Just focus on fighting for a starting position when you get back. I've been on calls with so interesting offers, and one of them is Valencia looking to extend your contract, but I've been holding them off." Oliver continued in a much more serious tone, letting his young client know about their next ga plan.
"You always find a way to change the ga when it looks like checkmate, don't you?" Matteo retorted with a light smile as he could practically hear the gears turn in his agent's mind. "Just no more BS that will take off my path, let my gaplay do the talking, everything else is up to you."
Oliver chuckled warmly, the tension in his voice fading noticeably. "That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say. Let handle the business—you're best when you just play your ga."
Matteo leaned his head back against the taxi's cushioned seat, a small smile forming on his lips. "Alright then, Oliver. Call tomorrow after I've slept. We'll talk specifics then."
"Rest easy, Mat," Oliver responded reassuringly. "We still got what we were aiming for, so trust in that. Get so rest."
Matteo ended the call, exhaling deeply as the lights of Valencia's familiar streets flashed past his window. His body was weary from the tournant, but his mind was clear, ready to conquer the next stage. The uncertainty surrounding NIKI felt distant now; all that mattered was securing his spot on Valencia's starting roster and showing the world his true worth.
~~~
[London, England]
Rain gently tapped against expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that provided a breathtaking view of the Thas. Illuminated by the soft glow of recessed lighting, a well-dressed figure stood in front of the panorama, hands clasped casually behind his back. The lavish decor around him—rich mahogany furniture, priceless art, and polished marble floors—oozed elegance, yet his attention was fixed entirely on the conversation playing out over the speakerphone.
"—you should have seen him in person," Wolfgang Wagner's voice emanated from the phone, carrying a sense of excitent. "It's uncanny. Like stepping back in ti, looking into a mirror from and seeing the past."
A slow, thoughtful frown appeared on the figure's handso visage as he picked up a glass of wine from a nearby table. His green eyes glowed in the warm light as he took a sip from his glass and let his mind wander. "You're certain?"
"Absolutely," Wolfgang affird without hesitation. "The boy is the spitting image of you at that age. Probably more handso, but the sa confidence is definitely there. The talent is unmistakable, but whom he got it from beats ? Certainly not you and your two left feet."
The figure turned slightly, his eyes glinting with quiet intensity as he gazed out at the river below. "Does he suspect anything?"
The man chuckled softly, the rich timbre of his voice resonating warmly against the subtle hum of rainfall. "Careful now, Wolfgang. I may not have dazzled anyone on the pitch, but my strengths always lay elsewhere."
Wolfgang laughed in response, genuine and unrestrained. "Of course, I ant no offence to the King of Finance. Though just because he resembles you doesn't an he is your son,"
"I just know, you know I only found out about his existence when it was already too late, so even if there is only a slight possibility, I have to chase that chance. I owe her that much," He responded in a lancholic tone as his gaze moved towards the TV on the wall that was currently replaying an interview.
On the screen, the sweaty figure of Rakim could be seen standing in front of the interview area. "We've made it this far, I think we're allowed to dream of bringing it ho now," he stated with a bright smile clearly sharing his joy of winning the match and reaching the finals.
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To Be Continued...
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