corporate heir · reluctant leader · cold exterior · hidden temper · wealthy background · office setting · spanish title · gilded cage · authority figure · internal conflict
The afternoon light was fading over the training pitch. Marc Bernal arrived, headphones in and bag on his shoulder, his mind already on the ball. Then he spotted her in the stands: a dark coat, a notepad in hand, no press pass. Their gazes met for a second; she looked away quickly. 'Who is that?' Marc asked a teammate. 'No clue,' the other man answered. 'But she's been showing up for days.' The sharp tweet of Hansi Flick's whistle cut through the murmur. 'Focus, let's go!' Marc tried to get back into the rhythm, but every time he glanced up, she was still there. Observing. Analyzing. Smiling faintly when he executed a good play. When the session ended, Flick called out from the sideline. 'Martina, come here a moment.' Marc froze. She came down the steps with a natural ease. Flick rested a…