Chapter 84: What Just Came In.

"I wasn’t expecting you this early," Leo said when they finally pulled apart, his grin lopsided. "Don’t you usually stay late?"

Mia answered for her, plopping her bag onto the nearest chair with a thud.

"Since you found your footing, she doesn’t stay late anymore. She says she’d rather focus on me now."

Leo looked between them, warmth flickering in his chest. "Thanks, Aunt," he said softly, reaching into his jacket.

From the pocket, he pulled out a sleek white box with the silver Apple logo catching the dim hallway light.

"Here," he said, slipping out the iPhone 14 Pro and holding it out with both hands.

"He’s serious, Sofi, he actually bought it!" she announced, already pulling out her own identical box from her bag.

"Look, he got me one too! Mine’s already set up from the shop."

She held it up proudly like a medal. "He bought it for me."

Sofia’s eyes went wide before she let out a groan, dragging her hand down her face.

"Leo... you can’t just keep spending like this. You need to save."

Leo shrugged, trying to keep it casual. "It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it."

"Nothing?" Sofia put her hands on her hips, her voice stern in that way only someone who had raised kids could manage.

"I can’t take this, Leo. Besides, I’m a Samsung person. I actually went and picked up one of the new models this morning, on a monthly plan. That’s enough for me."

Leo froze mid-step, then gave a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his neck.

"I... should’ve asked first, huh?"

"You think?" she shot back, though her tone had softened, her lips twitching like she wanted to smile.

"Well, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if I had asked," Leo said while scratching his elbow.

Mia, watching the exchange, piped up suddenly.

"Well, if Sofi already has a new one, and since your phone still has a headphone jack, why not keep it?"

She tilted her head innocently at Leo, clearly pleased with her logic.

Leo raised a brow. "My phone’s fine. You know me, Mia. As a footballer, my phone doesn’t really matter."

Mia let out a dramatic sigh, crossing the room to stand right in front of him.

"Branding," she muttered under her breath, like she was scolding a stubborn child. "You need to keep up with appearances. You don’t get praised for being humble nowadays."

"Just look at that guy who used to play for Liverpool. Mane, I think. He had a cracked screen and didn’t want to change it because it was still usable, but people still called him frugal."

"As much as I love the headphone jack, if your phone still has one, an iPhone, no less, then it’s prehistoric."

Leo glanced down at the familiar weight of his iPhone 6s in his hand, the once-glossy screen now dulled with tiny scratches.

He blinked, then gave a single slow nod, as if she’d just delivered some profound truth.

"Fine," he said, tucking it into his pocket again.

"Next time, maybe I’ll think about it."

He looked back at her with a small grin.

"But first, maybe I’ll get you a necklace. Or a watch."

From the kitchen doorway, Sofia was already inhaling, preparing to protest.

But Mia, standing behind Leo, caught her aunt’s eye and shook her head furiously, mouthing a silent "don’t."

Sofia blinked, then rolled her lips inward to stifle a laugh, nodding once in surrender.

Leo, oblivious, nodded too, satisfied.

"Alright then," he said, moving toward the dining table where Mia’s new phone lay in its glossy box.

He tapped the edge of the chair.

"Come on. Let’s set this up together. You’ll need my help with the backup anyway."

Mia grinned and hurried over, pulling the box closer.

Sofia lingered in the doorway for a moment, watching the two of them with an expression that wavered between exasperation and tenderness as the sound of their voices, Leo’s calm, steady instructions and Mia’s occasional bursts of excitement, echoed through the room.

With a small shake of her head, she turned back into the kitchen, the chopping board waiting for her.

The knife hit the onion again, the sizzle of the pan continuing, but now with a small smile tugging at her lips, and a while later, Mia and Leo were sitting around the dinner table.

Leo leaned back in his chair, taking one of the paper towels to dry the glass of water Mia had knocked over in her quest for the peanut Jar on his side.

"I’ll stay the night," he said casually, glancing toward the kitchen where Sofia was already plating up dinner.

"You better," Sofia called back, her voice slightly muffled by the cupboards.

The soft clatter of plates and the aroma of garlic and herbs filled the room before she reappeared, carrying a steaming dish.

She set it on the table, and Mia’s eyes lit up immediately.

"Lasagna?" she asked, already reaching for the serving spoon.

"Don’t just dive in, let Leo take first," Sofia chided gently, though her lips curved in a smile.

She sat down after setting her own plate, and soon enough the three of them were gathered around the table, forks scraping lightly against porcelain, the quiet rhythm of a family dinner settling in.

It was Sofia who broke the silence.

She set her fork down, tilting her head at Leo.

"That man we met... in the parking lot? After the Stoke game."

Leo paused mid-bite, his eyes flicking up. "Noah Sarin?"

"Yes, him," Sofia nodded, leaning forward a little. "What about him? I haven’t seen you bring it up since."

Leo swallowed, wiped his lips again, and gave a small nod.

"I checked him out."

His tone shifted slightly, not defensive but deliberate, like he wanted to reassure her before she even asked.

"He’s legit. Properly legit, actually. Managed a few big names early on—Pogba, before he moved on to Raiola, Depay back in his PSV and early United days, Ryan Sessegnon when he broke through at Fulham, and even Pedro when he was still at Chelsea."

Sofia raised her brows at the list.

Football names meant little to her outside the obvious headlines, but she glanced sideways at Mia, silently asking for confirmation.

Mia was chewing, so she lifted a hand and swallowed quickly before speaking.

"I know Pogba, everyone does. He’s super famous." She nodded firmly but then frowned.

"But... uh... who’s the... Sez... Sezz-guh-non?"

Leo chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "Sessegnon."

"Yeah, that guy," Mia said, waving her fork like it didn’t matter.

"Never heard of him. Or the other two. But Pogba, yes. He’s cool."

"Mm." Sofia gave a small nod, satisfied enough, and turned back to Leo.

"So... what are you going to do about it?"

Leo twirled his fork idly through the corner of the lasagna before answering.

"Nothing, for now. He said he wants to watch me a bit longer, and I don’t mind that. My mind is currently focusing on becoming indispensable to Wigan, so I will consider the off-pitch talk afterwards, but I don’t think it will take that long for me to really break through."

That made Sofia pause.

She tapped her fork against the plate, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully before she leaned back in her chair.

"Leo," she said softly, "things have only just started looking up for you. And if what Dawson told me when you signed with Wigan was even half true, then you’ve got a good runway ahead. Don’t be in such a hurry to change everything. Build yourself up first. Gather your worth so you don’t end up on the bad side of the deal."

Leo looked at her for a long moment, her words sinking in before he finally gave a slow nod.

"You’re right," he said quietly. "No need to rush."

Sofia gave a small, satisfied hum and picked up her fork again, returning to her food.

Leo bent back over his plate, finishing his food in steady bites while across from him, Mia was already sneaking an extra serving when she thought no one was looking.

.....

[The next day]

Wigan Training Complex

At the far end of his office, Nolan sat at his desk, half-absorbed in reviewing the previous day’s notes, when a soft knock sounded at the doorframe.

His assistant appeared, a thin bundle of envelopes tucked under one arm, a clipboard under the other.

"Morning," the assistant murmured, stepping in.

He placed the stack neatly on the edge of Nolan’s desk, the top envelope catching the light, its waxy sheen showing the faint outline of a crest.

Another envelope below carried a different insignia, just as unmistakable.

Nolan glanced down, his eyes narrowing slightly as he drew them closer.

The weight of recognition came instantly as he didn’t even need to break the seal.

"Already?" he muttered under his breath, the word edged with both surprise and inevitability.

He set the letters down with care, his chair scraping back as he rose to his feet, exiting his office.

Almost on cue, the door at the end of the corridor pushed open.

Dawson stepped inside the building, shrugging out of his coat, his phone still in hand.

He walked with his usual briskness, but his eyes caught Nolan immediately.

"Oh, hello, Nolan," Dawson greeted, his tone light, though the faint trace of curiosity lingered.

Nolan didn’t waste time.

He picked up the letters, their official crests visible even from a distance, and fell into step beside him.

"These just came in," he said quietly, as together, they disappeared into Dawson’s office, the door closing softly behind them.