Chapter 702
Chapter 702:
“But what’s the point of that match? This isn’t about individual glory. It’s a team sport,” Fernanda replied, raising an eyebrow, her gaze unwavering. “If you’re serious about joining us, I can give you time to adjust and integrate with my team. I’m sure they’d welcome you. But if you think you can just waltz into the finals like that, I suggest you rethink your approach. If you can’t accept that, feel free to leave.”
Ritchie hesitated, his words caught in his throat, a faint flush creeping up his cheeks.
“Is this really how you’re going to handle this? You didn’t say it like this earlier!”
“What I said earlier was my stance. Now, I’m setting the rules for my team,” Fernanda replied, locking eyes with Ritchie. “I invite people to bring value to the table, not to pamper them. Do you understand?”
Ritchie clenched his jaw, the competitive fire still burning in his eyes.
“Got it.”
“And let’s not forget. You were just a substitute on your last team, and now you want to start on mine, jumping straight into the finals? Do you think my team is just a training ground?”
Fernanda’s words hit hard, and Ritchie’s confident demeanor faltered, his cocky expression fading quickly.
“That’s not what I meant. I just wanted to give it a shot…”
Fernanda understood Ritchie’s drive to compete and prove himself, yet he shouldn’t have made such a presumptuous proposition.
Neal and the others had just come off a challenging match, all of them in good spirits, and then he decided to pull this? He already ruined the mood.
“You have time to think it over. If you decide to accept my offer, you’ll report in after the finals. Then we can focus on training for the next-level league. If you don’t, then we can part ways and you are free to…”
“I accept!” Ritchie cut Fernanda off.
Quickly, his tone became more serious. “I’m not backing out. No more messing around.”
𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒖𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅: ⲅ𝗮𝗅𝖓𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀․𝖼𝗈𝗆
A slight smile tugged at Fernanda’s lips, her brows softening just enough to show approval. “Good.”
Ritchie exhaled in relief, the tension that had been building up leaving him in a rush.
There was something about Fernanda when she was serious—a quiet pressure in the air that made him feel as if he couldn’t escape. What kind of presence did she have? Ritchie couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
But then it hit him—she was the legendary Nimbus, able to maintain such a low profile. Now that was truly impressive.
With that thought, a newfound respect for Fernanda flickered in Ritchie’s eyes.
Not long after, Ritchie left, and Neal, ever the generous one, didn’t let the incident bother him.
“If Ritchie joins, it’ll be a win for us,” Neal remarked thoughtfully. “I can already feel my age creeping up. My reflexes aren’t what they used to be.”
Alex jumped in, his voice light but sincere. “Tell me about it! Five years ago, I played the game with ease. Now, not so much.”
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