Chapter Twenty-Five

Five days later...

"Thanks, Seymor." Sapphie accepted the checklist clipboard from the team's coordinator with a tired smile. The man nodded his head in acknowledgment before Sapphie watched him, the manager and Pierre get up from their table. Now that all the logistics for the team was done, she could grab some shut eye before training tomorrow morning.

Paris-Saint Germain had landed in Lisbon just a couple of hours prior for their final against Madrid.

She was taking another sip of her chamomile tea when she looked up only to see Achraf make it into the hotel's restaurant. He greeted the group of men on their way out before he continued on his journey.

"Ach!" She waved at him, "I thought you'd still be settling down in your room."

"Sapphie, hey," he bumped her fist, "I could say the same to you."

"Oh, don't worry. After this, I'm going to settle down so well you guys won't find me until tomorrow. I just finished a meeting with the big dogs and now I'm just enjoying a little nightcap before I call it a night." She said and lifted her wrist to check the time.

7:30 PM.

"Well in that case, you won't mind if I join you? I thought I'd have tea and I'd rather stay away from my room to do it."

Gesturing at the empty chair adjacent from her, Sapphie laughed then asked without thinking, "Why?"

Then she remembered that Achraf always shared the room with Kylian whenever they were on the road.

"Are you kidding me? Have you been around Kylian lately, the guy is like a walking human buzz kill or something."

Then he too paused as he realised what he'd done.

"Sorry...I forgot...I didn't mean—"

"It's okay." She tried to give him a reassuring smile but Sapphie was almost certain it came across as somewhat a grimace. There was a moment of silence between them even after Ach had placed his order.

However even though saying his name had sort of made things awkward, it got Sapphie very curious. It had been over a week since their fight and since they last talk. Every time she found herself opening their chat to ask him how he was doing, she'd stop herself every time. Because she thought that perhaps talking to him before she was still yet to find a solution to Pierre's threats would only hurt him more. And so, all she could do was wonder...

"How is he?" She cleared her throat, then quickly took another drink of her tea just to occupy herself.

"You know..." He paused when the waiter came back around with his tea and ###, "...he still never shuts up about you."

That had her freezing up. Her cup paused in the air in front of her on its way down.

"Yeah," He tore a piece of his ### buttered it before throwing it in his mouth. "Why are you surprised?"

Sapphie shrugged, "I mean, I guess it's 'cause he hasn't talked to me in a while."

"Neither have you." He remarked.

"Yeah," she nodded, guilt weighing heavily upon her. "You're right."

The guilt she had been carrying all along continued to eat away at her. But there was no other way to beat Pierre. Meetings were always much harder now because of his gloating. Her mind raced, contemplating the challenges she faced.

Then, Achraf interjected, breaking the silence. "You know, Sapphie, I've known Kylian for a while, and whatever goes on between you two is none of my business. But seeing him like this kills me, you know? He misses you. Even I miss you being more playful around the team like you used to."

Her heart sank as she realized the impact their situation had on Kylian and the team as a whole. She wanted to be with him, and knowing that he still cared warmed her heart. But the blackmail threats from Pierre still loomed over her, making any resolution seem impossible. Seeing Pierre gloat every time they worked together only intensified her struggles.

Achraf leaned in, his voice filled with genuine concern as his brows furrowed.

"There's a party tomorrow night, just a little something to celebrate how far we've come in the championships. Kylian will be there, and I think it's time you two talked it through again. You need to work things out."

"Okay first of all, do you think it's such a good idea to have a party the night before the Finals? Coach will kill you, you know?"

"Galtier is okay with it," he dismissed it with a wave of his hand, "besides we promised we would all get to bed before ten pm."

Sapphie hesitated with a shrug, "I don't think me tagging along is such a good idea Achraf. I wouldn't want to make this entire situation more difficult on him."

"You will if you don't come," he said, "I know Kylian, you saw how he played in our last game. It will only get worse if continues on this path and imagine if he lost."

"Ach I don't think it's fair for you to hang that over my head." Her shoulders slumped.

"I know. But you know it's also true. Besides, you could talk to each other better now that temperatures have cooled. You could actually figure whatever it is out."

I suppose he had a point, Sapphie bit her lip as she turned the idea over in her head.

Besides, she missed him so bad.

Maybe there was a glimmer of hope that perhaps they could find a way out of this mess.

"Okay," she finally relented, her voice carrying a mix of vulnerability and determination. "I'll come to the party."

Achraf's face lit up with a smile, relieved by her decision. "That's great, Sapphie. Trust me, it's about time. You'll figure it out together."

As Achraf finished his snack and prepared to leave, Sapphie couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and apprehension. The thought of seeing Kylian again, of having a chance to talk and reconcile, stirred emotions within her that she had long suppressed.

"Thanks, Ach," she smiled. "I appreciate you being a friend to both of us."

Achraf nodded, his smile reaching his dark eyes. "Of course, Sapphie. Friends look out for each other. And right now, you both need your friends more than ever. And so do you...you should get some rest too by the way."

With that, Achraf tapped her shoulder in farewell and presumably made his way back to his room. Sapphie sat in the quiet restaurant, her mind spinning with anticipation and a glimmer of hope. Going to that party held the promise of a significant turning point in her relationship with Kylian, a chance to confront this issue and find a way back to each other. Or never again...

But as she finished her tea, a lingering thought remained. The blackmail threats from Pierre still hung over her, casting a shadow of uncertainty over their reunion. Resolving their personal matters would require more than just a heartfelt conversation. It would require courage, resilience, and a plan to overcome the obstacles those threats had threatened to tear them apart.

With a newfound determination, Sapphie rose from her seat, ready to face the challenges ahead. But first, she would get some decent amount of rest. Her schedule was killing her, she thought this as she stretched before gathering her stuff and leaving for her comfy bed upstairs.

Sapphie flashed the neon tag around her wrist at the bouncer before proceeding upstairs. Achraf had given it to her earlier after practice.

So, this is what partying exclusively looks like, huh? Instantly, she felt like her chunky cropped cardigan, denim jeans and sneakers looked like out of place.

Sapphie let out a dejected sigh. The bass from the music thumped loudly as she scanned the club for Kylian. Considering the place was not packed, it only took a few seconds to find him. She spotted him sitting in a booth, deep in conversation with his teammates. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the task ahead.

As Sapphie approached the table, Kylian looked up in surprise. His gaze met hers and continued staring like he had been hypnotised.

"Hi," Sapphie finally said, cringing at how lame it sounded.

"Hey," Kylian replied.

"We'll catch up with you guys later," murmured Ney as their small squad took the hint and dispersed.

On his way out of their booth, Achraf whispered in her ear, "Good luck."

Kylian's heart pounded as Sapphie slid into the seat across from him. It had been a week since their fight, the longest they'd gone without speaking since they first became friends. He wanted to pull her close, but considering how they left things the last time they spoke, he wasn't sure he still had possessed the privilege to do that.

Seeing Sapphie so closed off after their argument pained him. All of a sudden guilt swirled in his stomach. He had left her to fight a creep like Pierre on her own.

Sapphie offered a small smile, wanting Kylian to see her willingness to move past their fight, not to end things between them.

He returned her smile tentatively, relieved to see a hint of warmth from her again.

"It's loud in here. Maybe we could find somewhere quieter?"

Kylian nodded gratefully.

"The balcony might work better." At one point on their way out, their hands brushed hesitantly, each longing for the reassurance of the other's touch once more.

As they stepped outside, Kylian gazed at Sapphie hopefully. The city lights twinkled below as a soft breeze drifted by. Sapphie took a steadying breath, gazing at Kylian hopefully. The city lights twinkled below in the distance as a soft breeze drifted by.

"So, um, how have you been?" she asked.

Something in Kylian snapped at the sight of Sapphie's longing gaze. Overcome with emotion, he pulled her into a passionate kiss.

Looking at Sapphie, Kylian felt a surge of emotion. Her eyes held such longing that his heart couldn't take it. He pulled her close, capturing her lips in a searing kiss.

Sapphie gasped at the hunger behind his kiss. All the feelings she'd held in for so long flooded out. She kissed him back deeply, arms twining around his neck. His lips were soft yet insistent. Sapphie melted into his embrace, heart swelling at his tender touches. All the hurt and sadness fell away as love took over.

Kylian poured all the regret and remorse of the past days into the kiss. Feeling Sapphie respond so fully stoked the fire inside him. Their lips moved in a silent dialogue of apologies and acceptance.

Her body fit perfectly against his as always. To Kylian, it felt like coming home after being away for too long. Sapphie clung to him, dizzy with relief and joy at being in his arms again.

Parting for air, their foreheads touched as eyes conveyed what words could not.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Sapphie shook her head, "I'm the one who should be sorry. You were only trying to help and I...I lost it."

"Still, it doesn't excuse me not trying. I left you all alone to face Pierre on your own." He kissed her forehead.

"You look tired, come on. Let's sit." He pulled her to sit down with him on a nearby settee. Kylian pulled her into his side gently. He hugged her gently. Melting into the curve of his body, Sapphie felt tension leave her body.

They sat there together, and for a moment just enjoyed each other's company in comfortable silence. Too much had been left unsaid between them.

Kylian took Sapphie's hand in his. "I've missed this. Missed you." He kissed her temple again.

She squeezed his hand. "I've missed you too. I'm sorry I've been distant this past week."

"Don't apologize. I understand this isn't easy for you." He paused. "But we do need to discuss where we stand."

Sapphie's shoulders tensed slightly. "I know. But can we not fight about it again please?"

"I don't want to fight either. I just want to understand your perspective better."

So Sapphie tried to explain her fears again as gently as possible. But old frustrations slowly resurfaced in Kylian as he felt she still didn't trust him.

"Why do you always bring up the fact that I have money and fame? Id that how you see me? As someone who is defined by their wealth? You said something similar last time and before we even started dating. Why do you insist on highlighting this supposed huge difference between us?"

Sapphie's defence walls went up, not liking that her had called her out on something she regarded as not true. It hurt.

"I never said it was a bad thing!" she sat up to look him in the eye, "but you can't deny that it creates some sort of power dynamic. People would judge me more harshly because I don't have the same privileges and resources."

Kylian shook his head, his vice filled with a mix of frustration and sadness.

"Then why won't you at least consider my help?" he asked.

"Because it's not that simple!" Sapphie said defensively. "I told you. It would damage my reputation."

"So, your reputation matters more than us?"

Hurt flashed across her face. "Don't put words in my mouth."

Kylian sighed in agitation. "We're back to square one..."

"Kylian—"

"No, Sapphie!" He got up from their seat and walked towards the railing. Grabbing it in his hands.

"How am I supposed to help you when you won't let me?" then he turned around, "Or maybe there is something you're hiding."

His gaze narrowed into thin slits as he regarded her coldly.

"Excuse me?" she blinked.

"Is there something in your past that you're afraid of Pierre's 'rumours' bringing up? Something that would tarnish my image? Something you know I would call this relationship off faster than you could tell?"

"You're a bastard you know that?" she stumbled a little when she got up a little too quickly.

Who even was he anymore?

"I'm serious, which is it Sapphie? That's not you denying nor confirming it."

"I can't believe you would ask me something like that! Especially—" she cut herself off.

"Especially what? So, there's something?" he taunted.

"Especially after your mother launched a background investigation into me and my family's lives without consent!"

"What?" He stepped back as if she'd thrown a bucket of ice-cold water all over him.

"Talk about which one of us is hiding something...," she muttered to herself as she scrambled to get her hand bag and her phone, "you have no idea how invasive and unpleasant finding that out was. Good night and good luck tomorrow night." She marched back inside and out of the club without a glance over her shoulder.

"Sapphie wait!" Kylian tried to run after her but lost her on the dance floor when he got trapped in between the sweaty dancing bodies. And by the time he made it to her, her car was spitting out gravel as it drove off quickly.

Kylian watched her drive off until he couldn't see her car anymore. When he realised that he was in public and was starting to draw everyone's attention, he cursed beneath his breath as he was forced to head back inside.

But what he had failed to notice, was the nondescript black sedan that followed Sapphie at a distance until they disappeared around the bend. Its tinted windows revealed nothing about who was inside, observing her every move. Kylian had no idea that unseen eyes had witnessed their entire encounter, and that Sapphie was now being watched by unknown parties with unknown motives.

A sense of unease crept over him, though he didn't know why. Little did he know the dangers that followed.