Chapter 97

POV ISABELA

The stadium was shaking.

No… shaking wasn’t enough to describe it.

It was as if the air itself were alive.

Charged.

Electric.

More than eighty thousand people singing, shouting, jumping, crying, living every second as if it were the last. A sea of colors moved through the stands—flags waving, painted faces, and arms raised.

The sound was deafening.

And yet…

It was impossible not to feel it.

Impossible not to get chills.

I stood on the sideline, microphone firm in my hands, maintaining a professional posture, eyes focused on the game, voice ready for any live entry.

But inside…

Nothing was under control.

Since I woke up that morning, something had felt off.

A tightness in my chest.

A quiet restlessness.

As if my body were trying to warn me of something… something my mind still couldn’t understand.

I took a deep breath.

Tried to ignore it.

Finals were always like this.

Intense.

Anxious.

Heavy.

But this…

This was different.

Deeper.

Darker.

Maybe it was because I hadn’t been able to talk to Noah today.

My chest tightened just thinking about it.

He always sent a message.

Always.

A “good morning,” an “I’m thinking about you,” a “today is our day.”

Anything.

But today…

Nothing.

And I knew why.

Team lockdown.

Phones collected.

No contact with the outside world.

It was the rule.

It was normal.

But that didn’t stop my heart from missing him.

Didn’t stop that strange feeling from growing inside me.

I took another deep breath.

Focus, Isabela.

You’re working.

The game had already started.

And the moment Noah touched the ball for the first time…

The stadium exploded.

A collective roar.

Deafening.

Thrilling.

My eyes automatically found him on the field.

And for a second…

Everything else disappeared.

He was incredible.

Light.

Fast.

Precise.

Confident.

It was as if the field belonged to him.

As if nothing—absolutely nothing—could stop him.

My heart raced with every move.

Every run.

Every touch on the ball.

At twenty minutes into the first half…

Goal.

His.

Noah.

The stadium erupted.

A collective scream that felt like it shook the ground.

A smile escaped me before I even realized it.

“What an incredible play by Noah Cooper!” I said, trying to keep my tone professional, even as emotion vibrated in my voice. “He opens the scoring in this major final!”

But he didn’t stop.

Didn’t slow down.

Didn’t hesitate.

Shortly after…

Assist.

A perfect pass.

Surgical.

Another goal.

Another explosion.

More shouting.

More emotion.

And before I could even catch my breath…

His second goal.

My heart pounded.

Two goals.

One assist.

Noah was simply…

Unstoppable.

Dominating the game.

Owning the moment.

Showing the world exactly who he was.

And while I spoke to the camera, analyzing plays, describing performance…

A part of me could only think one thing:

This man… is mine.

The referee blew the whistle for halftime.

The players started leaving the field.

The noise lowered a bit… but the energy was still pulsing.

“A spectacular first half, especially for Noah Cooper…” I said, wrapping up my live segment.

As soon as the camera cut, I let out a small sigh.

My body was tense.

My mind… even more.

I moved to the sideline for quick interviews.

Technical questions.

Automatic answers.

Professional smiles.

But my mind was far away.

The sun beat down hard.

Sweat slid down the back of my neck.

I grabbed a bottle of water.

Brought it to my lips.

That’s when I felt it.

The vibration.

In my pocket.

I frowned.

Pulled out my phone.

Alex.

Strange.

He knew.

He knew I was working.

He knew I couldn’t answer.

I declined the call.

But seconds later…

He called again.

My chest tightened.

That wasn’t normal.

I declined again.

And quickly typed:

“I’m working. I can’t answer right now.”

The reply came instantly.

“It’s urgent. Please. Answer me.”

My stomach dropped.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

I looked around.

There were still a few minutes before the second half.

Without thinking twice, I started walking fast.

Then… running.

I went down the tunnel.

The sound of the crowd faded.

Muffled.

As if I were entering another world.

My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.

I entered the first restroom I found.

Closed the door quickly.

My hands were shaking.

I called.

He answered on the first ring.

“Isabela!”

His voice…

Desperate.

My heart raced.

“Alex? What happened?”

Silence.

A second.

But it felt like forever.

“Your name is everywhere…”

My breath caught.

“What do you mean…?”

“Newspapers… websites… TV… everywhere.”

My body went cold.

“They’re saying you’re having an affair with Noah.”

The world stopped.

Literally.

“What…?”

My voice came out weak.

Barely there.

“There are photos, Isabela…” he continued. “Of you two at the hotel… going in… coming out… together…”

My legs gave out.

I braced myself against the sink.

My vision blurred.

“No… no…”

But he didn’t stop.

“They found out about the blog too…”

My heart sank.

“No…”

“It’s all exposed.

Everything.”

My entire body started shaking.

My breathing turned uneven.

Fast.

Out of control.

Panic.

Raw.

Brutal.

“Isabela… everyone is talking…”

But I could barely hear him anymore.

The sound felt distant.

Distorted.

As if I were underwater.

And then…

One thought cut through everything.

Like a knife.

Isis.

My daughter.

My heart stopped.

She was there.

In the stadium.

In the stands.

Cheering.

For Noah.

With his sister.

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

Had she seen it already?

Panic took over.

“Alex, I have to go.”

I didn’t wait for a response.

I rushed out of the restroom.

The stadium noise came crashing back.

But now…

It felt oppressive.

Heavy.

I ran up the tunnel.

My heart was hammering in my chest.

My hands are sweating.

My breath is failing.

I walked fast.

Then ran.

Ignored everything.

Everyone.

Until I reached the stands.

And then…

I saw her.

Isis.

Standing there.

Phone in her hand.

Eyes fixed on the screen.

Tears were streaming down her face.

My heart shattered.

Right there.

In that moment.

“Isis!”

My voice came out desperate.

She looked up.

Saw me.

Her eyes filled with pain.

Confusion.

Disappointment.

And that…

That destroyed me.

“Isis…”

She stood frozen for a second.

As if trying to process.

As if she didn’t know what to do.

And then…

She turned.

And ran.

My heart dropped.

“Isis!”

I didn’t think.

Didn’t hesitate.

I dropped everything.

Microphone.

Equipment.

Everything.

And ran.

Ran after my daughter.

Because, in that moment…

Nothing else mattered.

Nothing.

Just her.