It's the year 2027. After the ligament operation, Alexia's recovery, which initially seemed very promising, was marred by one complication after another. Time, slow recuperation, and age eventually distanced her from professional football.
Although...
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—Certainly, Elena. You don't have to worry about anything. We'll take care of everything.
Elena breathed as if she hadn't in the past few days.
—Thank you. Thank you, Irene, really.
She didn't like the idea of feeling dependent. She liked having her own money, her future, her ideas, and her plans, but life had become too complicated. The outfit she was wearing at that moment was the last one she had yet to unveil for an occasion like this.
As expected, Irene Lozano had not hesitated. Elena would be a NOVA employee, and most importantly, a salaried NOVA employee. The organization's name, a good salary, and the work-life balance and benefits that anyone could desire would appear on the papers. More than enough to present in court.
She then looked towards her daughter, who was entertaining herself as best as she could, running from one side to another in the halls, while Xénia watched her with weariness, tired of chasing her on the marble floors and preventing her from sneaking into rooms where she could wreak havoc. At some point, she would give up, as Elena had done years ago. Her daughter couldn't be calmed; she was simply a whirlwind.
—We'll talk about you today, in front of all the attendees. It will be a bombshell —her now boss exclaimed with excitement—. They have started attacking us directly. They know we are here —Elena hurried to deny, being interrupted by her—. You have been doing incredible, absolutely incredible. Now we have crucial support. We just need to organize offensives and find out who the bastard is who betrayed you —she declared—. Don't worry —she said, putting an arm around her shoulder—, we knew this guy had eyes everywhere.
She could hear all the guests sliding into the hall they had chosen for that occasion, for that meeting in Madrid that she was not supposed to attend, as she had made clear. She had approached Irene and other leaders of the organization, had been provided with a small apartment in the capital just an hour ago, and the papers were in motion. She only had to return to Liverpool before David decided to show up at the house and initiate the divorce process.
—Actually, I should leave now.
—You deserve applause for everything you've achieved —she pointed out—. Let me give you that.
Elena declined. She knew what Irene intended; they knew each other well enough to know that she wanted to cheer her up after all she had told her she had been through in the last few days. Work was what made her happiest, what restored her self-confidence. What Irene Lozano didn't know was that the reason Elena refused to attend was not modesty or sadness. It was shame.
—We could discuss your positioning, the next steps, and how to solve your situation.
—I would really appreciate it if we could do that in private.
Irene nodded without much conviction. She would like to insist more; Elena was also aware that she would try by every means, but also that her role in that organization and, above all, at that event, was required every few minutes. Her phone had been ringing almost since the beginning of their conversation.
