-Lucian-

The roar of the crowd was deafening, but inside, it was silent like the world had paused just for me. Last year we couldn't even get into quarters of the tournament, but this time we have qualified for the semis. I stood in the center of the pitch, breath heavy, chest rising and falling under the weight of it all. The scoreboard flashed victory, but it was the pounding of my heartbeat that told me we’d done it.

Then came the flashes like lightning strikes from all directions. Cameras pointed at me like rifles, capturing every breath, every bead of sweat dripping down my jaw. My name echoed through the stadium like a drumbeat. Reporters were already closing in on the sidelines, microphones raised, lenses zoomed. But I couldn’t hear them. Not yet.

I was happy at that moment when I saw Elena there in the stands, waving at me, the girl who I caught red handedly with another man in my hotel room. My mood was sinking, dragged down by the weight of exhaustion, cheating bitch in the stands, the noise, the hollow cheers.

But then I saw her And just like that, the chaos faded. She stood there like a secret the world hadn't discovered yet calm in the storm, untouched by the madness around her. My breath caught. Not because she was flawless, but because she existed so effortlessly in a moment I didn’t know I needed saving from. She was half-shrouded in shadow, standing quietly near the hallway that led to the players’ restrooms. Her white hood was pulled over her hair, casting a soft shadow over her face. She wore dark clothes simple, unremarkable but her stillness was magnetic.

She wasn’t talking to anyone. She wasn’t watching the cameras, or the crowd, or even him. Standing near the tunnel. Dressed low key. Eyes unreadable. I walked toward her, slow and intentional. Cameras followed me like hawks.I offered a half-smile. “Didn’t think I’d see you here.” She blinked, calm, unreadable like a final whistle, caught off guard. “Neither did I.” she said. I nodded, just enough for the cameras to catch the angle.[Click. Flash. Flash. Click.]

“Lucian! Who’s she?”, “Is that your girlfriend?”,“Care to comment on the mystery woman?”,“Why is she hiding her identity?” I didn’t answer. Just gave a small laugh and walked past them.She stood still. Unfazed. I held the door open and let her slip into the corridor before following.The stadium noise faded into the hum of fluorescent lights. I looked at her, I was curious who she was. Last time a beauty approached me, had a secret microphone in her shirt. I wasted no time and asked,“You want a picture or an autograph?” my voice was smooth, like her answer didn’t matter. She didn’t answer. I asked again, more seriously “What’s your name?” She didn’t flinch. Didn’t blink. Just offered a tight, practiced smile. “Danny,” she said.

Expecting a reporter or another overly enthusiastic fan. But the moment my eyes landed on her, the words caught in my throat.

It wasn’t what I was expecting. “Danny.” One word. Soft, effortless, yet it gripped me like a punch to the gut. My gaze flicked to her lips as the name fell from them,subtle, calm, yet sharp with confidence. She removes her hood. Then, almost unwillingly, my eyes traveled up to meet hers. Green. A striking emerald, not the warm kind—no, cold and wild, like forests that had seen fire. They didn’t blink much, didn’t flinch. They stared back with a weight I couldn’t quite place. Her hair, dark, simple, tied back like she didn’t want it noticed. But it only made her more noticeable. A white hood that hung loose around her shoulders. Black jeans. No designer tag, no shimmer. She stood out in the way shadows stand out in sunlight by not trying to. She wasn’t trying. That’s what made it worse. Or better. I cleared my throat, suddenly very aware of myself. “I hope you're not...press or anything.”

Her lips curled into something that might have been a smirk. “Do you see anything in my hand?” I blinked. “No”. “Good,” she said flatly, brushing past me with an ease that somehow made me feel like she was in control of the entire conversation.

Before I could say another word, a chorus of voices rose behind me. “Lucian!” “Bro, that goal was insane!” My teammates swarmed in from the field tunnel, still half-buzzing from the win. Slaps on the back, laughter, shouts of victory, it was chaos wrapped in adrenaline. A couple of the younger players even mimicked my winning strike, arms flailing in slow motion. “Saved our asses, man,” Mateo said, grinning, his arm slinging around my shoulder. I chuckled, eyes still unconsciously flicking back toward where Danny had disappeared.

“Oh-ho, what’s this?” another teammate nudged me. “Already distracted? Didn’t even hear your king’s welcome.”I shrugged it off, but then Andro loud, cocky, always with a running commentary, tilted his head toward the direction Danny had gone. “Your new girl is kind of hot,” Andro added with a smirk. “Didn’t know we were doing interviews with angels now.” I gave him a look, somewhere between amusement and a warning.

“She’s not—” I started, then let it hang. “Forget it.” Andro raised his eyebrows, mock-saluted. “Right. Noted. Top secret. Got it, captain.”

The team burst into more laughter, but I wasn’t listening anymore. My head tilted slightly, the way it always did when I was thinking too much. Because something about her still lingered. It wasn’t just the emerald eyes or the calm, sharp wit. It was the silence that followed her like she knew more than she said. Like she had been watching long before I noticed.

Later that night, Velmira, UKN

The grand estate stood bathed in soft gold light, a fortress of wealth and legacy. The gates opened at Lucian’s arrival, and as the sleek black car pulled into the driveway, the staff lined up in quiet discipline near the entrance.

“Welcome home, sir.” “Congratulations on the win, Mr. Vale.”

I offered them a polite nod, the usual half-smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. The celebration buzz still hung in my ears, but now the night felt heavier. Inside, the marble floors echoed with my footsteps. The chandelier overhead glittered like it was mocking me. Familiar, elegant, cold. I had almost reached the stairs when I heard her voice. “Tell Minister Hawthorne I’ll sign nothing until I see the energy proposal in full.” My mother, stood in the foyer, dressed in an ash-gray suit, heels clicking, phone pressed tight to her ear. She didn’t look at me, didn’t pause.

“I’ll be late tonight,” she said absently, already walking toward the door. “Don’t wait.”

And then she was gone, chauffeured into the night, still mid-sentence with whoever was on the other end of the line.I watched the door close behind her, then exhaled softly. The silence that followed was louder than the entire stadium crowd. I climbed the wide staircase alone, steps slower now, and entered my room. It hadn’t changed in years, cool-toned walls, spotless surfaces, and a perfectly aligned set of trophies I never cared about anymore. On the shelf above my desk sat a single framed photo. I paused in front of it. Two boys. One laughing, one pretending not to. I touched the edge of the frame. My thumb brushed over my brother’s face. "Wish you saw that goal," I muttered under my breath.

****

I lay back after taking shower against the cold pillows, the weight of silence folding around me. I reached for my phone out of habit. And there it was again. 7 missed calls. 12 unread messages. Elena! The screen lit up with yet another notification.

Elena: I saw the girl. She’s not me.

Elena: Don’t do this. You’ll regret it.

Elena: You still love me. I know you do.

My jaw clenched. I didn’t respond. She had made her choice months ago, when she let someone else touch her while he was away building his world. And now, just like that, she wanted back in? Ever since we broke up, one thing I know for sure I never loved her. But that doesn't mean that I don't have any self respect.,

I locked the phone and tossed it aside.

I stared up at the ceiling. The pain, dull and buried most days, crept back like an old injury when the weather changed. Elena. She said she loved me once. Just like my brother used to say, I’ve got your back, always. Lies. My brother had died in my arms, saving me. Maybe that was his curse. Everyone he loved… eventually left. I turned off the bedside lamp. But even in the dark, my eyes stayed open. And somewhere behind them, the echo of Dany’s voice returned, pulling at something unfamiliar. A flicker of interest. A moment of calm. A reason to forget. Or maybe... a reason to feel again.