Reborn as the villain's obsession のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 171 - チャプター 180

The photos filled the tablet screen — Cassian's arm around Adrian in celebration, their faces close, caught in a moment that looked far more intimate than a simple goal celebration warranted. Adrian's stomach dropped."It's nothing," Adrian said quickly. "A celebration hug. Every player does that.""Not every player gets three separate tabloids asking if the captain has a new 'favorite,'" the media manager said grimly, scrolling through headlines already forming online. "Sponsors are asking questions. The club needs a statement by morning."Cassian's expression had gone perfectly, dangerously blank. "Draft something neutral. Teammates, celebration, nothing more. I won't have this become a distraction.""That's exactly what I'm worried about," the manager said. "This kind of speculation follows players for entire careers if it's not handled correctly."After she left, silence stretched heavy between them, the earlier warmth of the locker room replaced by something colder, more careful.

"That's him," Cassian said again, quieter this time, his eyes fixed on the screen as though the photo might change if he stared long enough. "Damian. The captain of Riverside United now, apparently."The meeting continued around them, tactical discussions and preparation schedules filling the room, but Adrian barely heard any of it, his attention fixed entirely on Cassian's rigid posture, the way his hands had curled into fists against the table.After the meeting ended, Adrian caught up with him in the empty corridor outside. "Are you okay?""I'm fine," Cassian said, though the flatness in his voice suggested otherwise."You don't have to pretend with me," Adrian said gently. "Not anymore."Cassian stopped walking, leaning back against the wall, exhaustion finally visible beneath his careful composure. "I haven't seen him since the day he left. Three years, and now I have to play against him in the biggest match of the season, with everyone watching, everyone remembering exactly what

Cassian took the phone, reading the message twice, his expression darkening with each pass. "This isn't a football rivalry anymore," he said grimly. "This sounds personal. Dangerous, even.""We should report this to the club, maybe the police," Adrian said, already reaching for his own phone."Wait." Cassian's hand stopped him. "Let me think for a moment. Damian's reckless, but he's not usually this direct. Something's changed."They brought the message to the club's security liaison that afternoon, who traced the number back to a burner phone purchased in Riverside United's home city, though nothing conclusively linking it to Damian himself. The league's investigation into the tackle continued separately, moving slowly through official channels while the threat itself remained unresolved."I want extra security around training sessions," the club's manager decided after reviewing the evidence. "Just as a precaution, until we understand exactly what we're dealing with."Adrian barely

Adrian stared at the message, cold dread pooling in his stomach even as the referee's whistle sounded to start the match. He had seconds to decide whether to alert security immediately or trust the heavy police presence already surrounding the stadium.He chose caution, discreetly signaling to the nearest security officer during a brief stoppage, showing him the message without breaking his focus on the match itself. The officer's expression tightened, and within minutes, additional security personnel had quietly repositioned themselves closer to the pitch perimeter."Stay alert," the officer murmured as play resumed. "We've got eyes on every angle now."The match proved tense from the opening whistle, both teams playing with a wary intensity that had nothing to do with normal championship stakes. Adrian found his focus repeatedly torn between the game itself and the message still burning in his mind, though he forced himself to perform regardless, unwilling to let Damian's intimidati

I have something important to ask you. The message lingered in Adrian's mind through the entire flight home, three weeks of international camp finally behind him, exhaustion and anticipation warring equally in his chest as the plane began its descent.Cassian waited at arrivals, and Adrian's heart lifted the moment he spotted him among the crowd, dropping his bags entirely to close the distance between them. Cassian pulled him into an embrace that lasted long enough to draw amused glances from passing travelers, neither of them particularly caring."Three weeks felt considerably longer than I expected," Cassian murmured against his hair."I know," Adrian said, breathing him in properly for the first time in weeks. "I missed you more than I thought was reasonable for someone I've only known a season.""A season that felt like several lifetimes, given everything we survived," Cassian said, pulling back just enough to study his face. "Welcome home."They drove back to Cassian's apartment